Nursing-home bill clears hurdle in legislative process
A bill that would allow for a separate facility to house sex offenders in need of long term care cleared another hurdle today, however, during the process new hoops to jump through emerged. House Bill 2704 would give the state Department of Health the authority to set up either an independent facility or a sectioned…
Undignified Deaths
A 39-year-old man who had been cited 32 times for driving without a seat belt (and who finally rigged a fake belt in his car to create the illusion that he was belted in) was killed in a low-impact car crash that would not have been fatal to a belted driver (Okata, New Zealand; coroner’s…
Recurring Themes
More People Having Sex with Inanimate Objects: Art Price Jr., 40, was charged with public indecency for several instances of walking naked into his back yard and (according to neighbors’ videos) simulating intercourse with a picnic table (Bellevue, Ohio, March). A 36-year-old man faced several charges after allegedly masturbating on a woman’s bicycle seat (explaining…
Accidents Will Happen
Police officer Thomas Wilson pleaded guilty to having 8,742 images of child pornography on his computer, but the judge acknowledged that Wilson might have acquired them “somewhat accidentally” (Brisbane, Australia; March). [Brisbane Times, 3-13-08] Ernest Simmons was convicted of attempted murder of two sheriff’s deputies despite his defense that he only “accidentally” shot at them…
Sonics get official NBA OK to move
With a thunderous pound of the ballot, professional basketball is coming to Oklahoma City. The board of directors for the National Basketball Association resoundingly voted to move the Seattle SuperSonics to Oklahoma City. “This is a proud day,” exclaimed Sonics owner and Oklahoma City businessman Clay Bennett. OVERWHELMING MARGINThe board, comprised of all team owners…
Unclear on the Concept
German artist Markus Kison created a full-body burqa, the robe that devout Muslim women wear for modesty, but equipped to send a digital signal of the wearer’s face to anyone nearby via Bluetooth. According to a February report in Der Spiegel, Kison reasoned that, since nothing in the Quran specifically forbids it, women can use…
Least Competent Criminals
This Getaway Plan Works Better in July: James Jett, 33, was arrested in Blount County, Tenn., in February after attempting to evade police by jumping into the Little River and submerging all but his face. However, the high temperature that day was only 36 degrees (F), and by the time he was discovered, he was…
Legislature overturns Governor’s veto
Oklahoma’s legislature voted to override Governor Brad Henry’s veto of a controversial bill that included women being required to have an ultrasound before undergoing an abortion. Sen. Todd Lamb (R, Edmond) and Rep. Pam Peterson (R, Tulsa) authored the bill which is the first bill the State Legislature has overridden since Gov. David Walters tenure.…
Jones gets new storm shelter
After a fire destroyed Jones High School last December, the tight-knit community continues to bounce back from tragedy ” and enlisting a new zone of safety. With the high school gymnasium now gone, the new primary location for Jones’ storm shelter safety room is located in Jones Elementary School, 13145 Montana. READY FOR USEPatti Fields,…
P.O.D. – When Angels & Serpents Dance
Columbia Thank god P.O.D. has a new album, because my Korn records just weren’t fueling my angsty aggression anymore. “When Angels & Serpents Dance” is the latest rap-metal delight from the San Diego rockers. P.O.D., which, for the uninitiated, stands for “Payable on Death,” a promise this crappy band has yet to fulfill. In “Shine…
Coyote Tales’ brings mischievous adventure to Oklahoma Children’s Theatre
Howl at the moon, kids! Oklahoma Children’s Theatre presents “Coyote Tales,” starting today through April 26 in the Burg Theatre at Oklahoma City University, 2501 N. Blackwelder. Based on conventional folklore from Mexico and the American Southwest, “Tales” is a production comprised of colorful adventures. Speckled with Spanish-language dialogue, the stories follow Señor Coyote, a…
OCU drums up free workshop, concert by percussion act Loop 2.4.3.
Delicate bells and cymbals swells are split by interlocking blasts of percolating drums that heave and bellow, in the music of New York-based percussion ensemble Loop 2.4.3. While it only has two members, the group can easily mimic an audio army or a precise drum thunderstorm. Lorne Watson and Thomas Kozumplik are both classically trained…
Canoe, kayak Olympic trials held on Oklahoma River
For the U.S. canoe and kayak sprint teams, all roads to the 2008 Olympics in Beijing lead through Oklahoma City. The Chesapeake Boathouse’s status as a world-class facility will get a major boost this weekend when it hosts the Olympic trials for flat water canoe and kayak on the Oklahoma River. The three-day event will…
Manufactured Landscapes
Reviewer’s grade: B- Director/producer Jennifer Baichwal documents Canadian photographer Edward Burtynsky’s 2001 trip through China, where he photographed many industrial sites. He visits a ship-breaking facility, a facility where they recycle computer components cast off by the iniquitous West, and the Three Gorges Dam construction site, among others. While Burtynsky’s photographs of mountainous piles of…
Smart People
Reviewer’s grade: B You know the drill: Cold, arrogant intellectual learns to embrace life and love. “Smart People” won’t win any awards for originality, but what it lacks in unpredictability is made up for with intelligent filmmaking and an impressive cast. Dennis Quaid stars as Lawrence Wetherhold, a misanthropic college professor grieving the death of…
Former Oklahoma Sooner receiver bites hands of those who fed him
Malcolm Kelly is known for his Velcro palms, but the sure-handed wide receiver didn’t hold his tongue after a frustrating workout before NFL scouts last week. Instead of drawing attention to his remarkable hands, Kelly’s tryout and subsequent tantrum reportedly drew more attention to his knee and mouth. Kelly, who opted to forgo his senior…
Maps and Legends: Reading and Writing Along the Borderlands – Michael Chabon
McSweeney’s Judging from his new nonfiction collection, “Maps and Legends: Reading and Writing Along the Borderlands,” there’s no denying Michael Chabon, author of “The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay,” is among the most passionate lovers of reading for pleasure. It’s no secret that the literary author loves comic books and genre fiction “? mystery,…
Capitol would stick around for a while in a world without us
What would happen to Oklahoma City’s landmarks like the Oklahoma state Capitol if people suddenly vanished from Earth? The main structure of the Capitol building is bedded with cast concrete and finished on the ground floor with granite. The aboveground building and facades are faced with limestone panels cemented and bolted to a steel structure,…
Old-fashioned lawn mowers prove to be economical, eco-friendly option
Your body ” not gasoline ” is directly responsible for the whir of the blades in a old-fashioned reel lawn mower, leaving you instantly rewarded with a pleasant snick-snick-snick sound and the sweet smell of a freshly trimmed lawn instead of a choking mist of Earth-hurting guilt fumes. Gas-powered lawn mowers have engines, levers and…
Inexplicable
Prison reformer James McDonough revealed in February the extent of the mess he inherited when taking over the Florida Department of Corrections in 2006 (40 officials charged with crimes, 90 fired, 280 demoted) and said much of the problem centered on inter-department softball. Even though former officials had admitted to contract kickbacks and frequent taxpayer-funded…
Local homes going green by kissing brick goodbye
Norman resident Myrna Fletcher lives in a straw bale house. “We get the three little pigs jokes all the time,” Fletcher said with a chuckle. Her house is just one example of home construction in the state that’s challenging conventional building practices by using “green” techniques. Nestled on the corner of 24th Avenue N.E. and…
Eastern Oklahoma resort marries luxury travel with green living
“Responsible travel” bears in mind the social, cultural, economic and environmental impact of travel, striving to minimize the footprint a traveler leaves. The Canebrake in eastern Oklahoma does responsible tourism right. The Canebrake is the vision of the Brackens, an Oklahoman family who wanted to preserve its property in Wagoner. A resort of this caliber…
IPHF exhibit exposes Holga photography
Holga photography is spotlighted at “Visions Through a Plastic Lens,” an exhibit now on display at the International Photography Hall of Fame & Museum, 2100 N.E. 52nd. “Lens” features the work of photographer Lou Chapman, who uses a Holga camera to transport the viewer on a journey into a surreal world where reality is more…
Brides-to-be taking eco-friendly routes in planning nuptials
From invitations to honeymoon destinations, there are a number of ways couples can choose to go green as they get married. “People in Oklahoma are just starting to get interested in these eco-chic weddings,” said Debbie Ritter, from That’s a Wrap Event Planning in Oklahoma City. “It seems like most of the interest is coming…
OKC rugby club closes season with Saturday match
Horse-collar tackles, harsh language and copious amounts of bone-rattling collisions are core elements of one of the roughest sports imports: rugby. The Oklahoma Crusaders debuted this year in the Texas Rugby Union, scraping and clawing their way to a berth in the Division III playoffs held last weekend in Austin, Texas. They lost, but will…
2008 Olympics preparation continues in China
China’s societal self-improvement in preparation for the 2008 Olympics continues. The Beijing Tourism Bureau ordered hotels to re-translate English signs, hoping to avoid such notorious past gaffes as “Racist Park,” which is now “Park of Ethnic Minorities,” and a cafe’s attempt to salute Western visitors with “Welcome, big nose friends.” And the Beijing Olympics Committee…
Young band For the Atlantic part of four-band Bricktown bill
The six members of the impossibly catchy metro rock band For the Atlantic range in age from 16 to 20, and despite having formed just months ago, seem primed with urgently addictive songs and instant appeal. For the Atlantic will take the stage Saturday night at the Bricktown Ballroom, opening for: Warped Tour veterans My…
Prom Night
Horror comes back this time in the form of a refurbished slasher flick from 1980. The original “Prom Night” starred Jamie Lee Curtis and — brace yourself — Leslie Nielsen. But honestly, this new “Prom Night,” aside from the title and the basic premise of madman killing kids at their senior prom, has little in…
OU students builds furniture using recycled materials
When he began crafting furniture, Sean McDow didn’t set out to use recycled materials “? it’s just that he, like most college students, was cheap. The Norman native and University of Oklahoma architecture senior was visiting his father in Dallas a couple of years ago when he decided to take up furniture as a hobby.…
After four decades, Festival of the Arts continues to build on its success
For Festival of the Arts 2008, downtown Oklahoma City will be swarmed for six straight days with roughly: 5,000 volunteers, 144 artists, 300 performers and 750,000 visitors. The massive festival “? which starts Tuesday and runs through April 27 at the Festival Plaza, Stage Center and the Myriad Botanical Gardens “? has been a staple…
CFN remembers Charlton Heston’s Oklahoma visit
When Hollywood legend Charlton Heston passed away April 5 and people reminisced about some of the Oscar winner’s iconic film roles ” “Ben-Hur,” “The Ten Commandments,” “Planet of the Apes” ” Chicken-Fried News couldn’t help but think his best performance came in 1994, playing himself. In the fall of that year, Heston made a quick…
Woods’ hopes for Grand Slam vanish with Masters loss
The Grand Slam. No golfer has ever won it, at least not the modern version ” which includes: the Masters, U.S. Open, British Open and PGA Championship. Not even Tiger Woods. You see, just like all of the gentlemen mentioned before him, Woods is a mere mortal. No matter how much the media likes to…
Sally and the prophet
Is there a double standard when it comes to hate speech? What’s the difference between Sally Kern’s anti-gay tirade and Jeremiah Wright’s anti-America tirade? Kern compared gays to terrorists and cancer; Wright said, “God damn America,” blamed whites for a conspiracy to facilitate black drug use and fill up private prisons, and even suggested that…
Nonprofit plant society keeps state full of wildflowers
Signaling spring are wildflowers popping up in public places, parks and along our highways. One organization responsible for this beauty is the Oklahoma Native Plant Society, dedicated to the study, protection, propagation, appreciation and use of our state’s native plants. Its Color Oklahoma Project raises money specifically for wildflower seeds, which are sown throughout the…
Poteet’s ‘Rumors’ veers wildly between sublime, slapstick
Farce’s theatrical challenge has always been to make a well-oiled ensemble production look like a train wreck. In a play like Neil Simon’s “Rumors,” nearly all style and little substance, the question becomes whether it should be played like Moli
Norman’s Evangelicals on free Bj
Norman indie rockers Evangelicals joined several other celebrated indie bands for a tribute to Björk’s acclaimed 1995 album “Post,” according to the band’s Web site. The band was tapped to record “You’ve Been Flirting Again” for the song-by-song tribute, which has been released as a free download on an alt-music. NOTESIn the album’s artists’ notes, Evangelicals front…
Presumed Innocent’ author to make OKC appearance
best-selling author and attorney Scott Turow is the guest of honor at the Library Endowment Trust’s sixth annual Literary Voices dinner, scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Thursday at the Oklahoma City Golf and Country Club, 7000 N.W. Grand. Before becoming a highly successful criminal lawyer, Turow taught writing at Stanford University, eventually entering Harvard Law School…
The Counterfeiters
Reviewer’s grade: A+ This year’s Academy Award winner for Best Foreign Language Film, “The Counterfeiters” sheds light on one of the countless shadowy Nazi programs that exploited the genius of imprisoned Jews during World War II. The film centers around Salomon Sorowitsch (Karl Markovics), a particularly talented artist whose knack for forging documents earned him…
Cloverfield
2008 Heavily hyped “Cloverfield” is a monster movie unlike any other, in that it hardly ever shows the monster. Instead, director Matt Reeves’ experimental film is told via the handheld camcorder of some friends, whose send-off party for a Japan-bound bud is interrupted by the arrival of “¦ well, something that plays demolition derby with…
Vatican reassigns outspoken Oklahoma priest
Although a lot of people in Oklahoma City knew him as “Father Tony,” the pope has decided to call him “Bishop.” The Rev. Anthony Taylor, priest of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Oklahoma City (previously the pastor at St. Monica Catholic Church in Edmond), has been named by the Vatican as the bishop of the…
Painkiller Jane
2007 Based on a comic book I’ve never laid eyes on, “Painkiller Jane” was a single-season Sci Fi Channel series now complete in a six-disc DVD set. The title refers to Jane Vasco, a DEA agent who’s virtually indestructible and has regenerative powers “? think the “Heroes” cheerleader, but not prissy. No wonder they got…
Too Much Time on Their Hands
It struck Leo Hill, 81, of Lakewood, Colo., that he was being shorted sheets of toilet paper (in the 12-pack, whose rolls allegedly yielded fewer sheets than similar rolls in the 4-pack), and he earnestly counted 60 rolls, sheet by sheet, concluding that the shortage amounted to enough paper to service one sit-down session per…
Diverse musicians to cater to Festival of the Arts crowd
Performance artists of just about every hue will flock to four stages for this year’s Festival of the Arts in downtown Oklahoma City. Nearly 300 performers will command the spotlight throughout the six-day festival, which begins Tuesday. The diverse lineup includes: local blues mainstays like The Snakeshakers and Shortt Dogg, modern-pop piano duo Simple Tree,…
Local businesses helping to change behavior to improve environment
A new class of businessmen and women are breaking the old rules and proving that loving Mother Earth and loving a healthy profit margin aren’t mutually exclusive. Money is green, after all. According to Oklahoma City native Mike Aaron, president of Greensender LLC, all it takes is knowing where to start. “People know there’s a…
Taking the LEED
Too often, the exigencies of politics, and the opportunism of politicians, lead to short-term thinking. Nowhere is this more apparent than in environmental policy. Immediate benefits can be realized through ignoring environmental concerns, but in the long run we all suffer. Such is the entire idea of sustainability. The people of Oklahoma are a practical…
Life After People
2008 Since we won’t be around to see it, The History Channel has assembled a feature-length documentary depicting how things might go down post-humans. As the introduction to “Life After People” points out, this is not a story of how we vanish (although it strongly hints that likely will be by our own design), but…
Oklahoma senate passes Quality Jobs expansion designed to encourage Sonics’ relocation
The State Senate passed legislation today intended to encourage the National Basketball Association’s Board of Governors to relocate the Sonics franchise to Oklahoma City. Now headed for the House of Representatives and Gov. Brad Henry, the senate passed Senate Bill 1819 “?authored by Senate Co-President Pro Tempore Glenn Coffee and House Speaker Chris Benge — …
We Are Scientists – Brain Thrust Mastery
Astralwerks As far as dance-inspired rock bands go, We Are Scientists have always been decidedly gritty and a little low-fi’ kind of like a dirty Duran Duran. The New York duo’s fourth album, “Brain Thrust Mastery,” is solid in musicianship and songwriting, but lacks the urgency and excitability of its 2006 release, “With Love and…
Various artists – 21: Music from the Motion Picture
Columbia The sound track to gambling flick “21” sounds like what Vegas has become. Any signs of nostalgia are gone and you won’t find the Rat Pack or casino classics on this CD, but there is plenty of hip glitz and pretty things to experience. One of the best songs is from Brooklyn synth-poppers MGMT:…
Council unanimously approves lease agreement
The Oklahoma City Council unanimously approved a lease agreement which will allow for a professional basketball team to play at the Ford Center during their morning meeting. The agreement with Professional Basketball Club LLC runs for 15 years beginning with the first season the team plays in Oklahoma City. PBC owns the Seattle SuperSonics and…
Istook joins Foshee & Yaffe Law Firm
Former Congressman and gubernatorial candidate Ernest Istook is joining the Foshee & Yaffe Law Firm, according to a press release. Istook, a distinguished fellow at the Washington, D.C.-based conservative think-tank The Heritage Foundation, represented Oklahoma’s 5th Congressional District for 14 years before unsuccessfully challenging incumbent Gov. Brad Henry in 2006. “Congressman Istook is a welcomed…
