Names in the News
(1) The victim of fatal gunshots in Buffalo, N.Y., in October: Mr. Mister Rogers, 23. (2) Arrested for flashing women in Annville Township, Pa., in October: Mr. Hung Thanh Vo, 19. (3) Sentenced for burglary in Portland, Ore., in November (for a December 2008 incident in which he, nude, was detained by the 88-year-old female…
Silent Night, Deadly Night: Three-Disc Set
2009 Before I was a horror fan, seeing the highly controversial Santa Claus-as-slasher movie “Silent Night, Deadly Night” in 1984 left quite an impression on me. In short, I was highly disturbed. Perhaps that’s why I never saw any of the sequels. Twenty-five years later, I’m a much braver man with low expectations. Should you…
News That Sounds Like a Joke
In September, prominent chocolate food engineer Hanna Frederick introduced her latest concoction at a conference of the Meat Industry Association in New Zealand: dark chocolate truffles tinged with venison and salami. Said Frederick: “There’s this smoky taste to start, then a strong chocolate flavor comes in, and at the end you have this wonderful taste…
Sherlock Holmes Double Feature: The House of Fear & The Pearl of Death
2009 With Robert Downey Jr.’s “Sherlock Holmes” about to hit the big screen, DVD shelves are rife with re-releases of previous movies and TV shows featuring Arthur Conan Doyle’s great detective. There are many, but MPI Home Video has four double-feature sets worth owning, all featuring the team of Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce. The…
Family Values
Kenny Jackson, 30, was arrested in St. Paul, Minn., in August after rampaging through his house, destroying furniture and menacing his son, 4, upon finding the boy wearing a blue shirt, which happens to be the color favored by a rival gang (to Jackson’s Bloods). In April, Helen Ford was evicted from her home of…
Oklahoma City University names Robert Henry as new president
Oklahoma City University announced Dec. 10 its Board of Trustees named Judge Robert H. Henry, Chief Judge of the United States Court of Appeals, Tenth Circuit, the school’s 17th president. “The opportunity to return to Oklahoma City University as its President and CEO is an exciting challenge that my wife, Jan, and I wholeheartedly embrace. The…
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18):
In 2009, the cosmic powers-that-be have been conspiring to get you to expand your self-image and enlarge your understanding of your place in the world. So I trust that in these last 12 months you have started a business or organized a support group or reinvented your physical appearance or begun your masterpiece — or…
Oklahoma couple allegedly concocts baby story to confuse cops
How would you hide allegedly stolen items from the cops? Maybe cover them with a tarp, bury them in the back yard, swallow them. You probably wouldn’t leave them in a car with a baby hidden under a stroller. Yeah, what? According to an article on NewsOK.com, a cop spotted a blue Toyota Corolla with…
Through CASA, light of volunteers helps flood darkness of child neglect
Each day, due to neglect and abuse, children are removed from their homes and put into the arms of the state in an effort to provide them a safe environment and improve their lives. These children, all under 18, must go through the legal process to determine their permanent residency. That’s where angels appear to…
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20):
To prepare for his turn to hit, a Major League baseball player slips a doughnut-shaped piece of metal over the top of his bat, making it a few pounds heavier than it normally is. He then takes a number of practice swings. The theory is that when he removes the doughnut and strides up to…
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21):
One of your top accomplishments in 2009 is the way you have united parts of yourself that had not previously been very well connected. It seems you decided that you were tired of being split up into fragmented sub-personalities that had different agendas. Somehow you managed to convince them all to work together in a…
Thunder players tell what they really think of new home
Maybe when you’re from Fort Madison, Iowa, and you travel down the road to Iowa City to go to college, maybe, just possibly, you’re not the best barometer to decide if a city is “cool” or not. OTHER END BEING HONEST CHILL AND CALM But Ryan Bowen, the 10-year NBA veteran, who managed to hide…
Everybody’s Fine
In life, the illusion of control is simultaneously one of our greatest coping mechanisms and weaknesses. Believing the world is an orderly place lends a great sense of comfort “? that is, until something happens to remind us we’re little bits of meat hurtling through space on a wet rock. Then that comfort disappears, leaving…
Best-selling author returns to Oklahoma, penning books at age 95
He’s a man who has stumped generations with the puzzles he has published and who has convinced millions that, yes, math can be fun. At 95, Martin Gardner has an ageless wit and an immense and quirky knowledge. AN ESCALATOR AND A HORSE MATH BY ACCIDENT MAGIC MAN Gardner, who celebrated his 95th birthday in…
In Your Eye Studio & Gallery showcases Cherokee Heritage display
As far as Sarah Davison is concerned, high-end jewelers are missing out on the most innovative method of jewelry making. The “Cherokee Heritage” exhibit showcases Davison’s unique method of crafting Precious Metal Clay into original jewelry, which is currently on display at the In Your Eye Studio & Gallery, 3005-A Paseo, through Dec. 31. The…
Brothers
Tolstoy’s famous observation that all happy families are alike, but all unhappy families are unhappy in their own way is referenced in “Brothers,” when retired career Marine Hank Cahill (Sam Shepard, “The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford”) comments that every family has its own problems. His ne’er-do-well son Tommy (Jake Gyllenhaal,…
The Continuing Crisis
Veteran marathoner Jerry Johncock, 81, was four-fifths through the Twin Cities Marathon in October when he was overtaken by a medical problem common to men of his age: urinary blockage. As he stopped to discuss his plight with officials, noting that he would have to quit the race to get to a hospital before his…
GEMINI (May 21-June 20):
I trust you’ve traveled all over creation in 2009 — or have at least exposed yourself to a wide range of novel sights and sounds near your home turf. I pray that you’ve escaped one shrunken niche, two narrow perspectives, and three low expectations. I’m also hoping that in these last 12 months, you have…
OKC radio station promotes holiday-themed concert
For Christmas this year, the metro is giving us a night of music. The KJ103 “Jingle Jam” concert features several acts, including 3OH!3, Push Play, We the Kings and other bands, who will perform at 7 p.m. Monday at the Coca-Cola Bricktown Events Center, 425 E. California. Nathaniel Motte of 3OH!3 said the group has…
Mike Larsen’s paints portraits of tribal elders to preserve Chickasaw culture
sen are the second series to be commissioned by the Chickasaw Nation. The first series, “They Know Who They Are,” was unveiled at the Oklahoma History Center in 2007. “The exhibit up at the Heritage Museum is a continuation of those first 24 efforts and it is basically a history book,” Larsen said. “I have…
State to suffer from mental health cuts
I am a direct-care employee of the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, working with clients at Norman Alcohol and Drug Treatment Center, one of the state’s few public drug and alcohol treatment facilities. My job will be one of the first to be cut, due to the doors of our facility…
Oklahoma City voters pass MAPS 3 with 54-percent tally
Oklahoma City voted Yes to the MAPS 3 initiative Dec. 8 with unofficial election results showing more than 54 percent of the vote. “We are pleased with our citizens’ vote of confidence,” Mayor Mick Cornett said. “Passing this MAPS initiative was a significant step forward for our city’s economy and quality of life. It assures…
Local charities scramble to meet increased demand as donors pinch pennies
0in”>But these same organizations have found some loopholes to continue promoting their missions as usual. Wal-Mart opened its doors to the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma this year, providing almost three million pounds of food for the pantry. The organization also received extra truckloads of food from the government’s stimulus plan. But all that food…
When You Were a Tadpole and I Was a Fish: And Other Speculations About This and That – Martin Gardner
Martin Gardner’s latest book may be a hodgepodge of odds and ends, but it still adds up to an entertaining read. “When You Were a Tadpole and I Was a Fish: And Other Speculations About This and That” is light on his famous mathematical puzzles and problems, and heavy on his opinions on politics, religion,…
Two OKC women start charitable organization for Congo, adopt two children
When Mary McFarland and Debi Mangrum visited the Democratic Republic of the Congo in Africa, they had no thoughts of adopting while they were there. But both Oklahoma City residents soon found themselves called to do just that. PARENTHOOD CHARITY “God put it in my heart to do more. You can do more to help…
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22):
I bet your relationship life will be a source of revolutionary teachings in 2010. Adventures in intimacy and partnership will draw you into some highly educational fun and games. You will be invited to dramatically expand your understanding of the nature of commitment. You will also be asked to dig deeper to discover your real…
Equality and marriage
The failure of Maine to allow marriage equality is without a doubt an unhappy outcome for its LGBT citizens. Fifty-three percent of the voters successfully took away the rights of their fellow citizens simply because the democratic process in America allows them to do so. It only took a mere 31,909 votes to repeal a…
Rural Alberta Advantage overcomes love, homesickness to meet indie music’s expectations
Nebraska’s Saddle Creek Records has championed some of the prettiest, evocative, rustic-tinged pop in the indie community, reaching far and wide for unexpected signings. One of the outfit’s latest discoveries is Toronto’s The Rural Alberta Advantage, a trio whose self-released, full-length debut, “Hometowns,” was re-released by Saddle Creek this summer. CONSISTENT PALETTE RAISING THE STAKES…
Oklahoma City receives national budget award for 2009-10
The City of Oklahoma City said Dec. 8 the Office of Management and Budget received the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award from the Government Finance Officers Association for its 2009-10 budget. The award is presented to entities that demonstrate a commitment to meeting the highest principles of governmental budgeting. “We are pleased that GFOA acknowledged the…
Some strings attached to mostly by-the-book adaptation of ‘A Christmas Carol’
Reviewing Oklahoma City University’s “A Christmas Carol” production last year, I noted that one reason for the ubiquitous holiday staple’s multitude of performances is that it’s pretty hard to screw up. This year’s production is not bad. But compared to 2008’s dynamic adaptation, the current offering, directed by OCU faculty member David Pasto, feels pretty…
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19):
In his book The Way of Transition, William Bridges defines the “neutral zone” as “that in-between time, after you’ve let go of your old life and before you have fully discovered and incorporated your new life.” Sound familiar? Maybe the neutral zone where you’re currently simmering isn’t as dramatic as that — maybe you haven’t…
Carpenter Square’s ‘Tom, Dick & Harry’ earnestly acted, but result more clown than comedy
If the wars, the economy and the holidays have you down, Carpenter Square Theatre will lighten your load with a modest entertainment titled “Tom, Dick & Harry.” The play isn’t exactly a lump of coal in the cultural stocking, but it’s a fruitcake at best. With “Tom, Dick & Harry,” playwrights Ray and Michael Cooney…
Creating instant spectacles, army of performance artists strikes Norman’s art circuit
N: auto 0in”>”While juggling is awesome and it’s always cool to see glowing unicycles, having other people marching and spinning fire all together will draw more attention,” Balazs said. “It breaks down what is reality into what could be reality.” Balazs developed a character named Spectro for PFC and serves as the de facto parade…
University of Oklahoma offers intersession ‘Twilight’ course
Crimson and cream ” now with sparkles! The University of Oklahoma has just made winter intercession more melodramatic than ever with a class devoted to “Twilight,” the franchise of books and movies that you just can’t get away from, no matter how hard you try. According to The Oklahoma Daily, English instructor Ieva Zumbake-Larchey will…
MAPS 3 campaign materials feature Red Raider fan
For all of its best laid plans, the Yes for MAPS coalition made an interesting gaffe in a full-color flyer mailed to city residents urging them to vote yea for MAPS 3. All the key points are hit upon, complete with renderings and photos of what the projects may look like, and similar amenities in…
The September Issue’ offers titillating glimpse of Vogue’s top tastemakers
Fall is critical to high fashion, and for the editors of Vogue, the season starts about the time its youngest readers make plans for spring break. “The September Issue” is a documentary that takes a behind-the-scenes look at the frenzy around the magazine’s flagship imprint, which serves to inform, entertain and shape fashion for readers,…
Live local music is best
John Sebastian said there were 1,352 guitar pickers in Nashville, Tenn. Hell, so what! I’ll wager that there are twice those numbers in Oklahoma that are at least as good as anyone playing in Nash-Vegas these days. The depth of talent that is native to Oklahoma stuns, amazes and overwhelms me almost daily. There must…
Steeped with individuality, new exhibit heats up Paseo exploring object of intense ceremony, ritual
After thousands of years of consumption, tea is not only the second most popular drink after water, but developed a wealth of rituals, like the teapot, which has become a collectible and an icon. From its origins in China to its spread west to England, tea continues as a worldwide habit. The “Functional and Sculptural…
Better Off Ted: The Complete First Season
Check out “Better Off Ted,” an ABC sitcom with a terrible title whose first season is now available on DVD. I didn’t believe it, either. Then I watched it. Now I’m a convert. This under-the-radar series deserves several million more pairs of eyes than it’s currently attracting, which I’m assuming isn’t much, considering I know…
Ben Rector – Jingles and Bells
rth unwrapping. “Jingles and Bells” is more cookies and hot cocoa than Scotch and hot toddies, but the six classic tracks are far from candy cane-coated. With its easy organ, finger snaps and sleigh bells, album opener “Let It Snow” is a delightful swinger that features a baritone Rector intertwining with himself, echoing up-front lyrics…
Commentary: Point: No new taxes
The policy of “government knows best” in Oklahoma has created a leviathan of sorts when it comes to the massive obligation that is our state government. As such, the financial demand that is placed on individuals in Oklahoma to continue to fund too many failing systems has done little to encourage growth and economic expansion…
Capitol collection shows off how Oklahoman captures nature’s dynamic landscapes
Setting aside brushes and palettes, Jack Bryan starts each painting by squeezing acrylic paint directly from the tube onto the canvas. Pushing and pressing the paint with his fingers, he spreads and streaks colors to evoke natural landscapes. TEACHING WORKSHOPS IMPROVISATIONAL JAZZ “I start out with third-grade finger painting and keep working to next state,”…
Oklahoma porn actress stars in mainstream straight-to-DVD flick
Oklahoma’s own triple-X porn starlet Jesse Jane is making a bid for mainstream respectability ” well, at least in theory ” by appearing in the R-rated film “Frat Party.” Haven’t heard of it? There’s good reason: It went straight to DVD last month. There’s good reason for that, too: It blows. (Pun not intended.) Jane…
Counterpoint: Reactive response
Beginning in 1929, the Great Depression defined Oklahoma as Okies escaped westward in massive numbers and the state’s population dwindled. The exodus didn’t stabilize until nearly the ’50s. In the ’80s, the collapse of Penn Square Bank and the oil bust caused high unemployment rates, memorialized in local T-shirts emblazoned with this question: “Will the…
National organization vows to uphold Constitution, even if it means defying elected officials
Are American citizens in danger of being interred in concentration camps or having their property or guns confiscated? Are we in danger of being treated as “enemy combatants?” Will Oklahoma City one day be subject to a military blockade? ADDITIONAL OATH OATH KEEPERS One national organization with members in Oklahoma is preparing for this possible…
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21):
“The nature of the work is to prepare for a good accident,” said filmmaker Sidney Lummet. He was talking about the craft of creating movies, but he could have also been advising you on how to make the most of the coming week. Your task, as I see it, is to set in order everything…
TAURUS (April 20-May 20):
The evidence is incontrovertible: You have definitely acquired more power in 2009. Whether that means you are now sitting in a corner office bossing around a gaggle of subordinates, I don’t know. What I do know is that you are in greater charge of your own destiny. You know yourself much better, and are smarter…
ARIES (March 21-April 19):
“Indignation is one of the most rewarding of emotions,” writes Theodore Dalrymple, “as well as one that automatically gives meaning to life . . . There is nothing like irritation to get the juices circulating and the mind working.” Of all the ideas that have made me irritable and indignant in recent weeks, this one…
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22):
It seems to me that in 2009 you’ve learned to love the fact that all the world’s a stage. You’ve found roles that have been fun to play, and you’ve expressed yourself with the nuanced zeal of a skilled actor in an elaborate theatrical production. I have very much enjoyed seeing you reveal the full…
Oklahoma gets hits hard by sniffles, more than almost anywhere else in U.S.
The symptoms can start small: a slight itching of the eyes, a minor burning of the throat. Some Oklahomans sneeze and suffer nasal congestion only at certain times of the year, usually when ragweed and mold counts are high. But for others, nasal allergy symptoms are a nonstop problem. ‘S NOT A LAUGHING MATTER SNUFFING…
Newspaper staffers receive MAPS 3 memo
An Oklahoma Publishing Co. memo last week encouraged the newspaper’s employees to earn paid volunteer leave to campaign in favor of voting for MAPS 3 prior to the Dec. 8 vote. “The Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce is looking for volunteers to walk key precincts and neighborhoods “¦ to encourage people to vote for MAPS…
Yikes!
Lisa Blair and her six sisters were enjoying a Thanksgiving meal in Hamilton, Ontario (in Canada, Thanksgiving was Oct. 12), when they began noticing suspicious flecks in the food and realized that their necklace lockets, containing the ashes of their mother (who had passed away two weeks earlier) were leaking. A local funeral services store…
Fans, press, enemies braved bitter cold to meet rogue Republican in Norman
style=”MARGIN: auto 0in”>Kern has made national news since becoming an elected member of the state Legislature with her views on homosexuality, even being recorded saying it is a greater threat to America than terrorism. “I thought it was kind of silly,” Kern said of the protests against her. “But this is America, and they have…
Oklahoma City Zoo offers animal gift-giving opportunity
Christmas is the season for giving, and this year, the Oklahoma City Zoo, 2101 N.E. 50th, wants to give back to the animals. For its Wild Wish Tree event, children and families can visit the ZooFriends office through Dec. 31 to pick a gift for the park’s animals. The zoo’s Christmas tree is full of…
South Texas country rocker Bleu Edmondson finds renewed purpose
Music’s like a hole with a treasure chest at the bottom: Some spend their whole life looking for it, and others just stumble in by mistake. Count Bleu Edmondson among the latter. REGIONAL HIT HOPING FOR REDEMPTION RENEWED INTEREST The Texas country rocker got his first guitar at 21, and he spent the next year…
Pint-sized crimefighters converge at Science Museum Oklahoma to hone their detective skills
he found it fascinating a cigarette butt could tell you a person’s blood type, which narrowed down the list of suspects,” Brown said. “Now, we can tell you exactly who that cigarette belonged to, since we can get DNA off it. That just shows you how much it has progressed in the last 30 to…
