Twilight Vamps / Bikini Frankenstein / Bikini Jones and the Temple of Eros
<iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=oklahgazet-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=B002ZD3V1U&fc1=000000&IS2=1 Surely, “Twilight Vamps” calls itself that to piggyback the “Twilight” franchise, although what those kids do in those films is waaaaay different than what the people do in this one. Let’s just say the “Contains Nudity and Sexual Situations” label on the box is an understatement. The story is as thin as the…
Mystery Science Theater 3000: Volume XVII
=”border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;” width=”1″ border=”0″ height=”1″ />” collections on DVD, Shout! Factory goes back to the very beginning. It’s a very good place to start. Kicking off this four-disc set is 1958’s “The Crawling Eye.” As far as “MST” episodes go, it’s no gem, but since it was the…
Say ‘Hi’ to Henry Rollins
Henry Rollins 8 p.m. SundayDiamond Ballroom8001 S. Easternwww.diamondballroom.net866-977-6849$19 advance, $24 door Henry Rollins is a musician, author, actor and all-around underground auteur whose charisma as a bandleader is matched only by his energy for spoken word. Rollins speaks Sunday in Oklahoma City. Possible discussion topics: The Second Amendment, our state’s toilet-flushing habits and Oklahoma’s general…
Dead Snow
<iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=oklahgazet-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=B002VKB0K6&fc1=000000&IS2=1 Just as I was tiring of zombie movies, two have come along recently to show there’s still life left in the genre: “Pontypool” and “Dead Snow.” Whereas the former broke new ground by aiming for the mind, the Norwegian “Dead Snow” goes for the gut —? first to punch you, then to tickle…
Beyond Sherwood Forest
none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;” width=”1″ border=”0″ height=”1″ />.” If you thought the legend lacked dragons and monsters, this is the adaptation for you. The Syfy-aired 2009 production stars the genial Robin Dunne (TV’s “Sanctuary”) as Robin Hood. Lovely Erica Durance (TV’s “Smallville”) is Maid Marian, and Julian Sands (TV’s “24”) is Malcolm,…
Valentine’s Day
B-movie mogul Roger Corman once observed that any movie could be improved by editing out 15 minutes and inserting a shot of an exploding helicopter. “Valentine’s Day” would need to 115 minutes exorcised and the crash of the Hindenburg added. Directed by Garry Marhsall (“Georgia Rule”), the film follows a group of typical Los Angelinos…
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20)
Historians trace the origin of Poland as a nation to the year 966. It mostly thrived for hundreds of years, but was extinguished in 1795, when three imperialistic invaders — Russia, Prussia, and Austria — claimed different parts of it as their own. Throughout the 19th century, when there was no Poland, the Poles fought…
Voluminous rock duo Jucifer moves from French Revolution to human nature with recent release
Jucifer with Big Whiskey Blackout and The Purple Church9 p.m. SundayThe Conservatory8911 N. Westernwww.conservatoryokc.com879-9778$7 Much can be learned from the number of speaker cabinets a band lugs around. One look at the wall of amps lining the back of the stage, and it’s obvious: Even as a duo, Jucifer’s going to be louder than bands…
Hilarious ‘In the Loop’ shows the messy, petty side of war
In the run-up to real war, the messiest battles are waged behind the scenes by bureaucratic troops armed with memos, leaked reports, white papers and committees. These soldiers are as fierce as they are petty, and every effort is made to minimize collateral damage to precious political careers. Thick tension A British satire of the…
Recurring Themes
The Whole Truth and Nothing But: Last August, an applicant for the police force in Montgomery, Ala., following directions to be truthful during the job interview, admitted that he owned child pornography. He was of course not hired, but arrested. In January 2010, 170 miles to the south in Pensacola, Fla., another law-enforcement applicant, Clarence…
White People in Turmoil
April Gaede, who four years ago guided her teenage daughters, Lynx and Lamb (performing as “Prussian Blue”), to a brief music career singing neo-Nazi songs, announced a new project recently on the white nationalist Web site Stormfront.org. She offers a no-fee matchmaking service to fertile Aryans, hoping to encourage marriage and baby-making — to help…
Jesus, take the worm
If it’s been your dream to see Checotah’s country music queen depicted as a non-arthropod invertebrate animal ” and let’s face it, who doesn’t share it? ” you’re going to want to set your TiVo for March 17, April 8 and April 26. That’s when Carrie Underworm ” a creepy, puppet version of Carrie Underwood…
An ‘oily’ response
Jay Hanas (Letters, “A fracking mischaracterization,” Feb. 10, Gazette) would do well to acquaint himself with the proper and customary spelling of the process utilized to stimulate oil and gas wells if he wants to seem credible. It is spelled “fracing,” not “fracking.” He impugns my character by stating that I am possibly taking a…
Mike McClure builds his own brand of red dirt with hard-rock tendencies
Mike McClure Band with Zack Walther and the Cronkites8 p.m. FridayWormy Dog Saloon311 E. Sheridanwww.WormyDog.com601-6276$8 Even Mike McClure will tell you: The truth often has an ugly bite. It will set you free, although sometimes only by cutting you off at the knees. So it is that as a young man, the former The Great…
Three controversial bills culled from last year’s omnibus abortion bill continue their lives
After last year’s Oklahoma House Bill 1595 received a setback, state legislators are reintroducing parts of the bill individually. Because HB 1595 had many different parts, the Oklahoma courts deemed it in violation of the state’s single-subject rule. Senate legislationHouse legislation Senate legislationThree bills modeled after parts of the original HB 1595 were approved by…
Edmond author outlines steps to make siblings lifelong friends in new book ‘Close Kids’
Brett Johnston2 p.m. SaturdayFull Circle Bookstore1900 Northwest Expressway842-2900www.fullcirclebooks.com When Brett Johnston leads speaking engagements, he asks audience members who have siblings to raise their hands. Most do. Then he asks those who would characterize that relationship as perfect to leave them up. Only one or two will. “It’s kind of sad,” said Johnston, an Edmond…
PR BS
Lots of press releases related to the Sooner State cross our desk. This week, these titles least screamed “Stop the presses!” “”Orchids Paper Products Announces 2009 Earnings Release and Teleconference”””Purchasing Affordable Long Term Care Insurance for Oklahoma AARP Members Simplified by Genworth Financial”””Vigilan Expands Continuing Education Courses to Provide Certification Licensing for Assisted Living Administrators”””Christian…
Council conspiracy
Some Oklahoma Republicans would criticize President Barack Obama even if he brought them flowers and candy on Valentine’s Day. Their latest barrage came after Obama created the Council of Governors to advise him on various state issues that the federal government could work with states on solving. The president created the council by executive order…
Nuclear posture review critical
Nuclear materials-wise, we are fortunate not to have nuclear energy power plants yet in Oklahoma, but nationally the Nuclear Posture Review is a timely issue. Nuclear materials should be included in the review because we need to make the world a safer place by clamping down on nuclear materials worldwide. Also, it is time to…
Cultural Diversity
Computer-obsessed Japanese nerds’ latest fancy is Love Plus, a Nintendo DS dating simulation that allows them a young, attractive, mouthy, teenage digital “girlfriend” who begs for attention. The touch-screen lover demands hand-holding, kissing and having sweet nothings whispered in her ear. How can men so easily become addicted to such vicarious experiences? Said one reluctant…
Start making sense
In his response to Judy Wesselhoft’s letter, science teacher Jeff B. Brown (“Evolution is a fact,” Feb. 3, 2010, Oklahoma Gazette) claims that “nothing in the sciences makes sense without (evolution). “¦ Teaching the myriad disciplines of science and pursuing human endeavors without the unifying genius of evolution and natural selection is as absurd as…
Billion-dollar budget hole causes confusion over multitudes of tax breaks
If Oklahoma had a dollar for every tax credit and tax exemption in the books, there might not be such a thing as a budget shortfall. The state tax code provides so many deductions and incentives that a dog-training, mushroom delivery driver who moonlights as a volunteer firefighter and lives in an energy-efficient home would…
Pop-conjurers Magic Kids pull ‘Happy’ music from their hats
Magic Kids with Junebug Spade and La Panther Happens9 p.m. FridayOpolis113 N. Crawford, Normanwww.opolis.org447-3417$8, $10 under 21 Fresh from a tour with blog sensation Girls, the Tennessee-based Magic Kids appear to be the next underground twee-pop sensation. The quintet recently signed a record deal, and with its peppy, “Pet Sounds”-inspired indie-pop and upbeat spirit, the…
Leading Economic Indicators
After the New York Post reported in December on the 175-square-foot Manhattan apartment recently purchased by Christopher Prokop and his wife (for $150,000, with $800 monthly in maintenance fees), residents of even smaller Manhattan digs told the Post they were unimpressed. For instance, Felice Cohen, 39, rents a 90-square-foot apartment ($700) with a loft bed,…
Bariatic Fashion Show to feature former bariatric patients as models
Fourth Annual Bariatric Fashion Show6:30 to 10 p.m., Friday, Feb. 19National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, 1700 N.E. 63rd. Free, but limited spaceReservations: 360-7100. For more information: www.owlo.com. Carrying fewer pounds and more confidence, patients from Oklahoma Weight Loss Options will hit the runway to publicly show off their successes. The fourth annual Bariatric Fashion…
Rainy Day – The Winter Album
kes turns manning the pedal steel and bass on the eight-song record. “Texas Calling” is the only track not recorded “in the woods” or at the “Woodmont Hotel,” according to the back cover, but the ethereal tune is surprisingly the most haunting. Sobbing pedal steel permeates the slow, strumming song, which echoes with an aching…
Concerns arise over Oklahoma Senate bill about offering Bible courses in public school
Oklahoma Sen. Tom Ivester, D-Elk City, is the author of a bill working its way through the Senate that would establish general guidelines and legal oversight for elective Bible courses in Oklahoma public schools. SB 1338 received a “pass” recommendation from the education subcommittee of the Senate Appropriations Committee on Feb. 11 and is expected…
Three unique artists kick off Istvan Gallery’s new year
Bryan Boone, Scott Henderson and Nanoko YonemaruTuesday/Thursday/Saturday/Sunday, through April 30 Istvan Gallery,1218 N. Western831-2874, www.istvangallery.com Three unique artists welcome a new year of exhibition with an eclectic group show at Istvan Gallery. Oklahoma City artists Bryan Boone and Scott Henderson are presenting in a show alongside work by Japan native Nanoko Yonemaru. Boone has exhibited…
ARIES (March 21-April 19)
I personally don’t believe we’re living in the worst of times, although I know many people who do. While there are indeed reasons to despair, our current state of affairs is actually in many ways quite glorious. And our struggles are puny compared to those of the generation that lived through the two World Wars…
GEMINI (May 21-June 20)
When I was lead vocalist in the band Tao Chemical, I sang a tune whose chorus went as follows: “I want the truth / the whole truth / nothing but the truth / I want the truth / Don’t beat around the bush.” Shortly after we started performing the song, my girlfriend broke up with…
‘A fantastic argument’
Don Bye’s letter in the Jan. 13 Gazette (“Wesselhoft’s letter refreshing”) is, paradoxically, a fantastic argument for why we need better science education. Bye challenges Darwinists to explain why the earth tilts at a certain angle conducive to life, or why the moon is perfectly positioned to stabilize earth’s oceans. Sheer, barking mad nonsense. Bye…
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18)
The only function of economic forecasting is to make astrology look respectable, said renowned economist John Kenneth Galbraith. If that’s true, I’m doubling the damage to my dignity by using astrological analysis to make an economic forecast in this horoscope. But that’s OK. My job is to report the raw truth as I see it,…
It’s official: Pro hockey set to return to town this fall
Local hockey fans, rejoice. Oklahoma City is about to become a hockey town once again, courtesy of the Edmonton Oilers and Prodigal Hockey. The Oilers, one of the National Hockey League’s most storied franchises, made the news official last week when they announced the American Hockey League Board of Governors voted to approve the move…
Abort report
Take a ride in the CFN Wayback Machine to February 2009, when an Oklahoma City construction worker was pulled over for posting a sign. Not with the dated “Baby on board” message, but something a little more current: “Abort Obama, not the unborn.” Yup, that was the sign in his truck window. At the time,…
Let’s twist again
It’s been a while since Oklahoma hosted a big Hollywood special-effects extravaganza. Like, since 1996’s “Twister.” (Jessica Alba’s rear doesn’t count.) Isn’t it high time for some “Twister 2”? The answer is “hells, yeah” if you ask Bill Paxton, who starred alongside Helen Hunt and computer-created clouds of swirling wind ” twisting, one might say…
‘Trip Around the World’ offers international fun, learning for children
“Trip Around the World”1:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 20Ronald J. Norick Downtown Library, 300 Park Ave.Preregister: 231-8650, ext. 4Free, 3-6th grades If you thought going around the world in 80 days was tough, try an hour and a half. The Junior League of Oklahoma City’s “Trip Around the World” is a learning experience that lets kids…
Scam suspends rational thought
Judy Wesselhoft’s letter, “Kids deserve better,” Dec. 16, 2009, spews ignorance. The evidence is vast and diverse that speciation occurs over time and that all species have a common ancestor. It comes from every discipline of biology ” embryology, phylogeny, homology, genetics, paleontology, evolutionary development and on and on. No amount of personal incredulity, denial…
Conservative blogs by the numbers
There’s an old saw in campaign politics that goes “politicians think everyone knows them because they only go to places where they know people.” Fragmentation allows readers to consume information narrowly. The Internet allows writers to skip editorial control and publish automatically to the people. In local politics, Web sites of ideological and journalistic diversity…
Art industry insiders curate a new writing fellowship, helping a dozen locals communicate as effective critics and curators
to encourage a very small group intensely and then the broader community to raise the level of conversation about art, and not to make anyone feel excluded, but make everyone feel more engaged to access art in a different way,” Kirt said. Public programming will accompany the fellowship workshops to promote community discussions. The first…
Latest Religious Messages
A Montana-based sect is fighting to remain viable, six months after the death of its “Mother,” the Jesus-channeling Elizabeth Clare Prophet. Several aspirants have tried to claim her mantle, but the sect’s council of elders found them all to be charlatans, and membership rolls have dwindled. The church was similarly challenged in 1990, when Mother…
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22)
Whatever gets in the way of the work, wrote poet Jason Shinder, “is the work.” His counsel will serve as a good reminder for you if you meet with obstacles in the coming days. If you ever catch yourself thinking, “Damn! I’d be making such good progress if it weren’t for these inconvenient complications,” consider…
Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief
9325&creativeASIN=B002N1C1CO”>I Love You, Beth Cooper”), “Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief” is always pleasant and, in one sequence, very good. Logan Lerman (“Gamer”) is Percy Jackson, a high schooler who learns that his absent father is really the Greek god Poseidon (Kevin McKidd, “Made of Honor”). It seems there’s war brewing on Olympus…
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19)
Being scrupulously ethical can be taxing and time-consuming. It involves high levels of ongoing self-examination, which many people are too selfish and lazy to bother with. On the upside, pursuing a path with integrity ultimately reduces one’s suffering. It also attracts the kind of assistance that is most likely to aid and abet one’s quest…
Obsessions
Unless Stephen Gough, 50, changes his mind about wearing pants, he risks spending the rest of his life behind bars, according to a January ruling of Scotland’s Perth Sheriff Court. Gough, Britain’s “naked rambler,” is a freelance nudist who for years has roamed the United Kingdom countryside, interrupted by numerous jail stints for violating public…
A look at relatively unknown mayoral candidate Steve Hunt
Mayor Mick Cornett will have opposition next month in the race for mayor. Steve Hunt, a 39-year-old local activist and opponent of the MAPS 3 project, added his name to the race on Jan. 29, the last day available to file for the election. New bloodJust the people He graduated in 2002 from the University…
Beetle-mania
In January, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers confiscated a live, jeweled beetle that a woman was wearing as an “accessory” on her sweater as she crossed into Brownsville, Texas, from Mexico. Blue jewels were glued onto the beetle’s back, which had been painted gold, and the mobile brooch was tethered by a gold chain…
Questionable Judgments
In Thailand, the endangered status of crocodiles and elephants is largely ignored by the public, who are instead enthralled with the giant pandas and their cub on loan from China. (There is even a 24-hour cable TV “panda channel.”) At several of the country’s zoos, officials now regularly paint their crocodiles and elephants in panda…
Norman magician Rob Lake returns from the road to stage a lavish show
just a few moments, an audience suspends disbelief, and releases their inner child,” he said.For him, that’s magic. “?Eric Webb
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21)
The game you’ve been enmeshed in has reached a sticking point, or soon will. I recommend that you call for a suspension of action. If that’s not possible, hide from the other players for a while, or jokingly tell them you have to excuse yourself because it’s time for your regular bout of cleansing escapism.…
Least Competent Criminals
Shane Williams-Allen, 19, was arrested in Tavares, Fla., in January and charged with burglarizing an unmarked police car and stealing several items, including handcuffs and a Taser gun. Eventually, Williams-Allen called the police for help after he accidentally cuffed himself, and officers believe he also accidentally Tasered himself. Police in Oakland, Calif., called off their…
TAURUS (April 20-May 20)
Throughout 2010, you’re most likely to be consistently in the right place at the right time if you cultivate an amused skepticism toward what’s in vogue. In fact, I suspect that only one trend will be of any use to you at all. You heard me correctly, Taurus: Of all the fashionable obsessions that may…
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)
Have you ever watched the TV show “The Office”? If so, you may remember when Darryl from the warehouse was going out with customer service rep Kelly. “You need to access your uncrazy side,” he told her at a turning point in their relationship. “Otherwise, maybe this thing has run its course.” I’d like to…
Impressive University of Oklahoma cast brings life to Harper Lee’s ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’
To Kill a Mockingbird8 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, 3 p.m. SundayUniversity of OklahomaSchool of DramaWeitzenhoffer Theatre563 Elm Ave., Normantheatre.ou.edu325-4101$22 adults, $18 seniors Adapted from Harper Lee’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, “To Kill a Mockingbird” tells the story of a heavily segregated Alabama town in 1935 that’s torn apart over the alleged rape of a white woman, Mayella Ewell,…
