Queen: Days of Our Lives
Only lead singer Freddie Mercury was convinced of the rock band’s royal spell on Billboard charts and radio airwaves, predicting prophetically not just “We’ll be together until we die,” but “I’m not going to a pop star. I’m going to be a legend!” Mercury demonstrated a true showman’s confidence and command of audiences, belying his…
Building Liberia’s library
Evelyn Phyffer, among the key organizers of the collection, said during a trip to Liberia, she saw firsthand the republic’s desperate need for books for children, medical students and seminary students. “Teachers in Liberia use the chalk-and-talk method,” she said. “They have to write all their lessons on a chalkboard because students do not have…
Protesters vs. ‘Personhood’
Dubbed the Oklahomans Against the Personhood Act Rally, the protest on the north side of the Capitol featured remarks from state Sen. Constance Johnson (pictured), D-Holdenville, who told the crowd she had a message for her Senate colleagues who passed the legislation earlier this month. “Women brought you into this world, and women will vote…
Child abuse not funny
As a conservative reader of the Gazette, I come expecting to be disagreeable to, frustrated with, and even angered by the majority of its contents. I continue to read out of amusement and because the diversity of opinion exposes where the lines of contention truly lie. But what I read in the Feb. 8 issue…
The Burning Moon
Not for nothing does its cover brazenly warn, “Uncut. Uncensored. Unconscionable.” Chances are you’d agree with all three, but the average person isn’t likely even to complete its trailer. Shot on video, “The Burning Moon” is not only a gorehound’s delight, but a German gorehound’s delight. To put it another way: those with framed covers…
Sleigh Bells — Reign of Terror
This stuff combines all my dirtiest, guilty-pleasure pop secrets into a single, distinct sound with a stylistic aesthetic to match (captured by the awesome bloodstained Keds album art). In fact, for funsies, why don’t we run through that checklist of cheesy things I love?• ’60s girl-group vocals from a super-hot lady? Yup.• Drippy Rick Springfield…
Stoned
Saturday night, Stoney LaRue will play a sold-out show in the glitz and glam of Norman’s illuminated Riverwind Casino. Ten or so years back, he played the same city on a weekly basis at the humble, beloved The Deli. Although the Red Dirt icon appreciates the huge production and massive capacity — now necessary to…
Indie 500
On the surface, indie-pop duo Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. and the movie “Jurassic Park” don’t have much in common. Lacking a Jeff Goldblum connection or thorough understanding of genetic engineering, the band still chose to host a special screening of the film at the legendary Alamo Drafthouse in Austin, Texas, during a recent two-night stand.…
House of Stone: A Memoir of Home, Family, and a Lost Middle East
The loss was as unexpected as it was tragic. Shadid, born and raised here, was a true savant: a fluent speaker of Arabic whose ambition for storytelling heeded few warnings of danger. He caught a sniper’s bullet with his shoulder in the West Bank in 2002 and survived a well-publicized kidnapping in Libya last spring,…
Last supper
Nobody is going to want to make me food. Think about it: Everybody is going to be huddling with their families, remembering the good times and praying that the end will be relatively painless. But not a one of them will be interested in exchanging a perfectly cooked medium-rare ribeye, shrimp cocktail, garlic scalloped potatoes…
Primary prepping
Former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich visited Tulsa and Oklahoma City on Feb. 20 and addressed the Legislature the following day. Texas Congressman Ron Paul came to Oklahoma City for a Feb. 25 appearance outside the state Capitol. Thus far this campaign season, the state has been visited by Texas Gov. Rick Perry, former Utah…
Oklahoma is not OK
That’s simply not true; Gov. Fallin has acknowledged that Oklahoma’s per capita gross state product growth over the last decade “was the third highest in the nation at 14 percent.” What is true is that high energy and agricultural prices have fueled the economies of the high growth states. According to the Oklahoma Policy Institute,…
Eat like a horse
Overlooking the racetrack’s finish line, the restaurant features the expected: a bar and a multitude of televisions. It also offers the unexpected: multilevel seating, a sight line to the outdoor four-story video screen and an amazing view of the entire track. Remington Park kicks off quarter-horse racing season on Friday. “Anticipation is always great for…
Acid test
Just ask police in Edmond. In the largest LSD bust in the city’s history, authorities last week arrested an 18-year-old man reportedly carrying 1,041 doses of acid. To help put that in perspective, the seizure of 1,041 doses of LSD roughly equals: —40, 601 instances of dry mouth and jitteriness, —13,462 sudden epiphanies about the…
Budding industry
A new reality series on the National Geographic Channel, “American Weed,” focuses on medical pot in Colorado, centering on growers such as the Stanley siblings, and chronicles its eventual demise in one town in the state. Every year, thousands of cardholding patients depend on the Stanleys for medical pot to help ease their pain. But…
New frame
“Certain people are intimidated by going to the gallery,” Reynolds said. “Others have this hesitation. I think we are just connecting the gap.” The Edmond resident stressed that 80 percent of her clients don’t go to physical galleries, a common site of sales for artists. Her teaching experience convinced her there is a place for…
Pet project
Bailey, the aforementioned weenie dog, is an excellent napper. She’s good at disappearing into heaps of blankets and laundry. Above all, however, this lady is good at creating mischief when I’m not at home. Maybe you’re currently pet-parenting your own seemingly angelic pup. If you frequently return to overturned trash cans and chew toys that…
Pepe Delgados Mexican Restaurante
Nestled in the center of Norman’s Campus Corner, Pepe Delgados tastes like you could be dining 1,500 miles away in owner Emilio Salinas’ home village of Punta Maldonado, Mexico. “There’s an African-Mexican influence in our recipes, because my mother is African,” he said. “There was a shipwreck and her ancestors stayed right there in the…
Smag 7: Ready, set, eat!
Campus Corner Breakfast Deli6240 S.E. 15th, Midwest City 737-3388 Rise and dine at this Midwest City cafe, open until 3:30 p.m. every day but Sunday, for such eats such as omelets, chicken salad on a croissant or tempting crêpes. Its standout smoothie is the Mango Madness. In the mood for something savory? Opt for the…
Messianic nickname
Instead, the panel decided that churches preferring a new name to the one associated with the SBC’s founding as a pro-slavery church (for which they promptly apologized in 1995) could opt for a nickname. The committee said that the nickname “Great Commission Baptists” could be added as a descriptor. The “great commission” is the name…
Song for Norman
The pair came to the decision while planning the opening of the Norman Philharmonic. “I wanted an anthem that would be really involved in Norman,” said Thompson. “I wanted something that would connect generations of the city.” Zielinski asked a friend in Minnesota, Grammy-winning composer Libby Larsen, to write it. She agreed and shortly thereafter…
Point broke
Busey has less than $50,000 to his name, but owes at least 10 times that amount (and perhaps half a million more). Since HBO’s “Entourage” is history, thus denying him any further appearances playing himself, it’s unlikely he was going to luck into a gig lucrative enough to pay all that back. Don’t feel too…
Oratory overkill
If so, somebody page Oklahoma’s U.S. Rep. John Sullivan when that time arrives. At a Feb. 22 town hall meeting in Bixby, the Tulsa Republican decided to open mouth and insert foot when a constituent asked about the national debt. Sullivan voiced his support for Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan’s budget to curb debt and said…
Thinking outside the bun
Hell, yeah! Who wouldn’t want to see the Oklahoma City Thunder point guard show off his mad Taco Bell skills? We looked forward to drooling in anticipation of watching him participating in the following: —Chalupa preparation, a timed event; —guess the Gordita, blindfolded; and —Crunchwrap Supreme toss, a distance competition. Turns out none of those…
Meth-odology
The vote in the House Public Health Committee prompted a war of words between Tulsa County District Attorney Tim Harris and a trio of Tulsa-area Republican legislators who opposed the bill. Harris railed that Reps. David Derby, Ron Peters and Mike Ritze “betrayed their constituents.” Derby shot back that “it’s time the DA did his…
There’s something about Mary
“Observers say she’s done so successfully, acting cautiously and avoiding the most polarizing Tea Party issues.” Significantly, Fallin’s office noted the story in a news release, perhaps an indication that the governor is comfortable denying the tea party’s more contentious crusades.
Drug-testing for dollars
According to the state Department of Human Services, 3,922 adults and 17,233 children received TANF funds in January. Most of those households are single-parent homes with low or no earned income, and the maximum time a person can receive TANF is five years over an adult’s lifetime. While only two such measures were introduced in…
Fueling station
As work winds down on the $750 million Devon tower, plans include restaurant and banquet space atop the 50-story building, along with a variety of dining options at Nebu in the adjoining garden wing. And yes, it’s all open to the public. Nebu opens March 19, and the full-service restaurant, Vast, and banquet space are…
Time for tax credit reform
One reason was laid bare in a recent series of legislative hearings I was privileged to chair: We waste too many of your tax dollars on unnecessary, giveaway tax credits to businesses. The tax credit task force examined how and why past legislatures had granted tax credits to specific industries. We found little rhyme or…
Leap into action
Every four years, February earns an extra day on the calendar due to the moon cycles or black magic or something — we’re not sure. But we do know this gives you 24 extra hours to get out and do something different in this great state of ours. Whether today or sometime before New Year’s…
In the Red
This year marks the 20th anniversary of Red Tie Night, hosted by the Oklahoma AIDS Care Fund (OACF) and founded by Jackie and Barbara Cooper in 1991. Today, Red Tie Night is Oklahoma’s biggest single-evening fundraiser. At this year’s event, Gov. Mary Fallin will present the Coopers and other founding members with a commendation honoring…
Broken arts
The old saying goes that one never should mix religion and politics in polite conversation, but the art show “Breaking the Rules” will put that longstanding decree to an end … at least for one night. The fundraiser event will be held Tuesday at Individual Artists of Oklahoma Gallery. “Breaking the Rules: Religion, Politics and…
Bite Size: 2-29-12
Dozen for a dozen It’s never too early to think about stocking stuffers — especially when they’re gift cards from Panera Bread. Head to the 1472 S. Bryant location on Thursday to get 10 percent off food or gift cards when you mention University of Central Oklahoma College of Liberal Arts. From 5 to 9…
L.A. not-so-confidential
They’ll help Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook represent the Western Conference in their annual tussle with the east this year, but it looks like things might be a little awkward in the All-Star locker room, as Bryant exchanged a lot of words with James Harden (who out-shot Bryant while defending him) and Durant. Watch for…
Hell on Earth
But as the old saying goes, lightning doesn’t strike twice — “Hell” is as dreadful to watch as “Spawn” is fun. “Based on a true story … sort of,” the horror comedy with a cast of unknowns focuses on Bobby (Brett Fallon), a young man who, despite being handicapped, is clearly the older version of…
Romney and religion
“I think it’s very possible Romney’s faith will be an issue,” said Charles Kimball, director of the University of Oklahoma’s religious studies program. “When you consider that the Southern Baptist Convention has a program for ‘interfaith witness’ directed at Mormons, it points out that they don’t consider them part of the same Christian faith. “In…
Cloud Nothings — Attack on Memory
You may recall “rockism” as an accusation of obstinacy, fit for the kind of guy (called a “rockist”) who sighed relief at the sight of Dave Grohl trading guitar licks with Joe Walsh, Bruce Springsteen and Paul McCartney at the Grammys just a week and a half ago. For a moment there, he thought, it…
Re:Generation
Record-breaking ratings of the recent Grammys award telecast suggest music is increasingly vital as a part of our national culture and identity. Music can bring people together, yet also break them apart. After all, mention the word “polka” at a party, and you just may clear the room. “Re:Generation,” a new documentary produced in association…
Soundcheck: Woody Awards nominations
Back after a long year of rocking and rolling, hipping and hopping, twanging and clapping, Oklahoma Gazette’s Woody Awards are once again calling for nominations. You may nominate up to three bands in as many of the categories as you wish by commenting on this article with your picks (see the example below). Please be…
