Let’s get something straight
And those who rejected that war or called him out on any issue were labeled “unpatriotic.” Just wanted to clarify that happening. —Elda Davis, Bethany
Republicans to blame
Had the Republican/ religious/ extreme right not opposed every dime of family planning, free contraceptives and sex education in their high extremist zeal, this problem would be manageable, rather than the long-suffering taxpayer being saddled with more costs. If the Keating, Istook and Fallin loons representing the Heritage Foundation/ Catholic Church/John Birchers used some common…
Respect is due
That incompetent boss leading the company to ruins joined a company that is on fire; has bombs going off in various parts of the building; has a board of directors working to withhold the water and sabotage any progress; has some board members appearing to have a stronger allegiance to outside interests than to the…
Ignorance and hate
He fabricates a narrative which portrays the president as incompetent. The substance and syntax clearly indicate that the writer is either profoundly ignorant, or consumed by hate, or both. With ignorance and hate being the sum and substance of the letter, it would be useless to address it point by point. In fact, to do…
Viva Obama!
The president was handed the wheel of a Titanic, which has been “iceberged” by Bush’s eight years of deficits, deceit and privilege, including two wars fought on credit, massive tax reductions for those who needed no help and debt-funded bailouts of GOP-leaning investment banking firms and insurance giants whose business practices had caused a meltdown…
The House Across the Street / Homicide
House is the better of the two, opening on the suburbian utopia of Hopkins Street on the morning of April 20. It’s a placid existence, complete with home delivery from the milkman. But when a phony postal worker knocks off a would-be trial witness on the watch of a rookie cop, there goes the neighborhood.…
Madison County
• “What are the chances … we take it, then get completely lost?”• “You kids best be gettin’ out of here.”• “Hello? Anybody home?”• “Maybe we should just go back.” They don’t go back. But at least in this indie effort, they’re off to meet an author. In other slasher films, the main goal is…
No objection
You know you’re in for an evening of light entertainment when a musical opens with a number titled “Ohmigod You Guys,” sung by a bevy of University of California-Los Angeles Delta Nu sorority sisters. Legally Blonde: The Musical, based on an Amanda Brown novel and the 2001 motion picture, is now being given a modest…
Water war
Sardis Lake is at the center of the water rights battle. Chickasaw Nation The irony of a downpour was undoubtedly appreciated by those attending the Oklahoma Academy’s forum on water. The April 11 gathering placed in the same room two entities currently duking it out over water: tribal officials and state leaders. Tens of millions…
Big bird has landed
Brad Gregg Resembling the cranes that are prevalent all over the city right now, the SkyDance Bridge was crafted to mimic the scissor-tailed flycatcher. It perches atop the pedestrian bridge, which leads to the Oklahoma River and eventually will connect the upper and lower sections of the downtown park. At night, mesmerizing, color-shifting LEDs illuminate…
Damsels in Distress
It’s a near-perfect work, but I recall being fazed by the biggest laugh it got in that night’s Lawrence, Kan., audience: a punch line hinging on the word “pejoratively.” Who uses $2 words to tell jokes? Even Stillman’s Oscar-nominated debut of four years prior, Metropolitan, didn’t strike me as so … well, Harvardissue thesaurus. Some…
Dharma initiative
<span style=" “> To achieve meditation, some turn to yoga or music; others indulge in sacred geometry. At the Divine Dimensions exhibition at the Third Eye Gallery inside Norman’s Ashtanga Yoga Studio, visitors can view images inspired by the latter, an ancient practice. While researching the art of sacred geometry, artist Stephen Deckard decided to…
From grind to grad
Jennie Whiteman Shannon Cornman After unfulfilling careers and unexpected life situations, they made the decision to go back to college a decade or longer after having last set foot in a classroom. This time around, the purpose isn’t just to get through it: It’s to get something out of it. They aren’t alone. According to…
Admirals — Admirals
Seconds into “Sirens,” one can tell that Radiohead and Muse register high on the band’s radar, yet more bound by convention than either. If that reads as a dig, it’s not necessarily meant to be; as much as Admirals obviously lust after that huge, space-rock sound, it also strives to be catchy and accessible. It’s…
OKG 7 buffets to get your grub on
Sinbad Mediterranean Cuisine & Buffet 5801 Northwest Expressway 773-3663 If you show up Monday-Thursday, you’ll get a delicious buffet ($9.95 lunch, $11.95 dinner) of fresh-made Mediterranean fare. Friday evening and all day Saturday you’ll get the super buffet ($12.95), which boasts an almost insurmountable amount of food. Try the falafel, saffron rice and lamb shank.…
Anger management
Mike Ness has been guilty of many things — more than he’d like to remember, or even can remember — but holding back on his emotions isn’t one of them. As the singer, guitarist and all-around force behind the three-decades-strong punk band Social Distortion, the man has summoned plenty of personal demons in hard-charging, college-radio…
Brush with noise
Ross Adams James Hammontree, singer/guitarist for Paintscratcher, took a bad habit and twisted it into the perfect name for his then-fledging, Oklahoma City-based hardcore group. “The thing I used to do when I was nervous was scratch the paint of a windowsill furiously fast. I thought, ‘That’s a pretty good name for how I want…
Potable patios
The metro has many great patios, but a few have distinctive views, features or drinks worth mentioning. One of the best views of the city’s newly enlarged skyline can be had from Bossa Nova, the Midtown rooftop patio of Cafe do Brasil, 440 N.W. 11th. Relax and enjoy the signature drink of Brazil, the caipirinha…
Hoagie heaven
There are sandwiches, and then there are sandwiches. There are the kind my mom used to make, or have us make for ourselves. Loaf bread, Oscar Mayer cold cuts, cheese and mayo or mustard or — hold onto your hat — both. Technically, that’s a sandwich. It will sustain you, but unless you are coming…
Bringing home the bacon
She’s the owner of newly opened Local restaurant, 2262 W. Main, Norman. Enlisting sisters Heather Steele and Abby Clark to operate the place, they have their uncle’s Walnut Creek Farms in Waynoka lined up as a supplier. “Our concept is sourcing food direct from the farmers and straight to our tables,” Scaramucci said. A dozen…
Please (press) release me
Brad Gregg In the 17 years since the bombing of the Oklahoma City federal building, political leaders of all stripes have reflected on the tragedy in written statements peppered with words and phrases like “resilience,” “resolve,” “the Oklahoma Standard” and the like. But it took the absence of one press release for all hell to…
Dog-gone it!
Duke And he’s only 6 years old. Or is that 42? Duke, Southwestern Oklahoma State University’s bulldog mascot, is retiring. According to a SWOSU news release, the canine was feted on the Weatherford campus with a five-hour retirement party May 1, complete with cookies, punch and photos. Why is Duke giving up his public post?…
All is ’bright
Singer-songwriter John Fullbright shares more in common with folk legend Woody Guthrie than their quaint hometown of Okemah. There’s a certain air of Oklahoma soul to everything they are and represent, whether voice, songs or presence. There’s a weight and understanding of not only life of an Oklahoman, but a human being. Fullbright didn’t set…
A-choo!klahoma
Brad Gregg Now do you see how clever we were with that “nothing to sneeze at” line? Isn’t that just too much? Anyway, back to the allergies. Experiencing watery eyes, congestion, runny nose, headaches and itchy skin? Don’t blame the cellphone or flammable tap water. As a recent report by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation…
Here comes Dick
Brad Gregg Former Vice President Dick Cheney is scheduled to visit Oklahoma City Saturday at the 2012 Oklahoma Heart Failure Symposium, at the Cox Convention Center. Cheney is scheduled to share how his life has been affected by his heart failure, from diagnosis to the implantation of his Heartmate II ventricular assist device in 2010…
Gettin’ ugly
Brad Gregg Joe Gumm, morning anchor for KOKH-TV Channel 25, learned that the hard way when he recently reported on a story about a lawsuit that radio personality Howard Stern had filed against his employer, Sirius XM radio. Gumm made an impromptu remark that Stern is ugly, a crack that didn’t sit well with the…
Local gem
Brandon Bales While most DJs work alone — think Skrillex, Deadmau5, Fatboy Slim — two heads have proven better than one for Oklahoma City electro act Crystal Vision. “It definitely helps when one of us is stuck. The other one always has an idea,” said Katie Wicks. “The joys of being a duo are that…
Ruff recovery
Ellen Price receives assistance in physical therapy from Zephyr Shannon Cornman On Christmas Eve, the Midwest City woman suffered a major stroke that affected much of her left side and made the simple act of standing a grueling ordeal. But today, Price had reason to stand: a 3-year-old German Shepherd named Zephyr was on point,…
Lease on life
While the structure at 201 N.W. 10th known as the Packard Building may not be one of Oklahoma City’s storied edifices, it is now poised to become a Midtown retail and office destination. Once a car showroom, the 1925 building sat idle and largely boarded up for years, save for its time as Pat’s 10th…
LETTERS
Oklahoma Gazette provides an open forum for the discussion of all points of view in its Letters to the Editor section. The Gazette reserves the right to edit letters for length and clarity. Letters can be mailed, faxed, emailed to pbacharach@okgazette. com or sent online at okgazette.com, but include a city of residence and contact…
May help
Support the arts and do your heart some good by participating in the 38th May Fair Arts Festival Saturday at Andrews Park in Norman. “Art and Sole” is this year’s theme, since the Assistance League of Norman opted to incorporate a 5K and 2K fun run with its annual event that emphasizes children’s art education…
LETTERS
Oklahoma Gazette provides an open forum for the discussion of all points of view in its Letters to the Editor section. The Gazette reserves the right to edit letters for length and clarity. Letters can be mailed, faxed, emailed to pbacharach@okgazette. com or sent online at okgazette.com, but include a city of residence and contact…
LETTERS
Oklahoma Gazette provides an open forum for the discussion of all points of view in its Letters to the Editor section. The Gazette reserves the right to edit letters for length and clarity. Letters can be mailed, faxed, emailed to pbacharach@okgazette. com or sent online at okgazette.com, but include a city of residence and contact…
In-person treatment
Jim Wilson Introduced by Sen. Kim David, R-Wagoner, House Bill 2381 sets its sights on RU-486, also known as mifepristone, as well as any other drug or chemical used for abortion. Mifepristone differs from over-the-counter forms of emergency contraception — so-called morning-after pills — that release hormones to delay ovulation and preempt pregnancy. RU-486 terminates…
Derby daze
We wore big hats and oxford shoes. We drank mint juleps and played croquet. While none of us were into horse racing, we were into having themed parties, and this year will mark the second annual get-together. Whatever your feelings are on the time-honored tradition of this weekend’s Kentucky Derby, you have to admit the…
Tax credits worth saving
Based on rhetoric surrounding Oklahoma’s income tax debate, some lawmakers seem to think so. Gov. Mary Fallin and other state leaders are eager to cut the top income tax rate this year. They say we can offset some of the cut by eliminating “special interest” tax credits and deductions. Yet when the details emerge, we…
The Theatre Bizarre
Six stories are introduced by Udo Kier (Melancholia) as a crusty-faced automaton who commands the stage of the title venue, with which a young, disturbed woman (Virginia Newcomb) living across the street is obsessed. Drawn there late one night, she takes a seat amid an audience empty except the occasional mannequins; Kier plays host with…
Let the Bullets Fly
Unfortunately, it’s all downhill from there, as Bullets reveals itself not so much an action epic as it is a slapstick comedy in a story of political poseurs, full of elements that encounter difficulty in translation. I do, however, appreciate its odd sense of humor, which could be classified as gallows at times. Example: When…
Mother’s Day / 11-11-11
Produced in part by Brett Ratner and ostensibly a remake of a same-named piece of Troma trash from 1980, Mother’s Day is one of the better thrillers I’ve seen in recent memory, anchored by an honest-to-God great performance by Rebecca De Mornay as the mad matriarch of the title, as good as her celebrated comeback…
The Mystery of Edwin Drood
Despite leaving The Mystery of Edwin Drood incomplete when he died in 1870 (of all the nerve!), the book has hit the screen about half a dozen times since, most recently this two-hour version from the BBC, now on Blu-ray fresh from airing on PBS’ esteemed, enduring Masterpiece Classic showcase. Edwin Drood (Freddie Fox, The…
While the Patient Slept
The MOD DVD has the Federie clan gathering again on a dark and stormy night at the behest of patriarch Richard (Walter Walker, Dangerous) “to watch me die.” But first, he has something to say to everyone. Before he can, however, it’s R.I.P. via gunshot — oh, not for Richard, but one of his sons…
Fair-ly full
Sure, that burrito looks good, but so does that turkey leg. And what’s this new thing you’ve never heard of before? Maybe it will fit in your mouth hole and make your hungry-angry go away! And some things don’t even need an explanation, like at the Oklahoma City Festival of the Arts. You know the…
12 Creature Features
For me, only two of the titles stood out as new, or potentially just overlooked: 1974’s Horror High and 1968’s Kong Island. Both were novel enough that I could see paying $10 for it and not feeling short-changed, as long as you know upfront that the prints are less than pristine. As with such bargain…
The Red House
Then one night after joining the Morgan clan for post-labor supper, Nath mentions something about cutting through Ox Head Woods on his walk home, prompting the farmer to bark warnings about a supposedly cursed and evil piece of property deep within. Mr. Morgan begs Nath and Meg to stay away, to not go near that…
