Commentary: Grade expectations
And with Todd Lamb, Ken Miller, Mark Costello, John Doak and Gary Jones all cruising to victory last November, a new level of control was granted the state GOP, while creating an immediate expectation for change by those who supported this outcome. There will be pressure on the entire cadre of statewide officeholders to meet…
Sketchy deal?
Along with most of the people there, she was scheduled to make an initial appearance that day — a legal proceeding in which the accused appear before a judge and receive a copy of the charges against them. The woman’s attorney excused himself for a few minutes before returning and motioning for the woman to…
Bite Size
People say you look like: “Brett Favre.” Best feature: “My sense of humor.” Good friend: “I am always there when someone needs something.” Favorite cut of meat: “I am a strip-steak guy.” Favorite indulgence: “I am a little bit of a clothes horse. At 5 foot 11 and 250 pounds, I am no skinny butt,…
Fresh faces
The year 2011 brings new culinary ventures to the metro. Quality ingredients are the focus of fresh, simple dishes, from chicken to Chinese and even Guatemalan, among others. Hey, whatever turns you on. —Carol Smaglinski, photos by Mark Hancock and Shannon Cornman $$: Up to $15 $$$: $15-$30 $$$$: Above $30
Gaither-ed in song
Whereas the singer/songwriter’s first disc was acoustic, the new “Love Is Patient” finds her backed by a full band, comprised of fellow Oklahomans. To hear Gaither sing “Patient” track for track, you don’t have to have patience — just $7 and some free time, starting at 6:30 p.m. Saturday at the Bridgeway Backroom, 228 W.…
Indian nation
In the heart of Indian Country, Oklahoma universities lead the nation in the number of American Indian students obtaining undergraduate degrees, according to a recent report published by Diverse Issues in Higher Education. The state has seen successes in terms of indigenous education, including some of the highest test scores among American Indians, but the…
Hub hookup
The Association of Central Oklahoma Governments hosted its first public meeting Jan. 20 on the intermodal transportation hub study, seeking comments and feedback on the initial study sites and findings. Representatives from the Jacobs project consultant company discussed the planning and research process at the meeting. The goal of the study is to recommend the…
Animal prints
(Charlie’s business: Clawing the couch.) Ron, on the other hand … let’s just say I’m considering an intervention (catervention?). Ron is a sweet, big-boned tabby (don’t call him fat), but he’s not the smartest kibble in the bits. He goes absolutely nutso with catnip — rolling around in it, sliding on his back through it,…
Hey! Do this
M-I-C this If you thought Disney magic was only something that happened on the big screen, then #fail. See for yourself when “Mickey’s Magic Show” abracadabras Saturday at the Oklahoma City Arena, 100 W. Reno. Illusionist Brad Ross joins Mickey and Minnie Mouse for a show filled with all your favorite Disney characters. The magic…
Off-script
A major contributor to the growth has been a weekly Saturday showcase at Ghostlight Theatre Club as part of the umbrella group, OKC Improv. “The fantastic part of being Oklahoma’s first ongoing showcase is we get to highlight all these different troupes that are going through classes and getting encouragement from the rest of the…
The Go! Team
On Friday, go! To “Cafe Go,” that is — City Arts Center’s 18th annual installment of “Cafe City Arts,” which allows the gallery to offer free admission to its year-round exhibits. “It’s important for art to be free to the public, and this fundraiser is instrumental in that,” says Annah Chakola-Ramsey, City Arts Center director…
Man cave?
Of the 737,414 adults age 18 and over who own a home in the city (accounting for 73.8 percent of the base population), 52 percent are male; 48 percent, female. When it comes to age, the 35-44 group comprises the largest chunk of the homeowner pie at 18.4 percent. Following close behind are ages 25-34…
Redbud blooms
He became a household name amongst beer geeks in the state when J.D. Merryweather hired him to be Coop Ale Works’ first brewer. He left that position in September last year, and now he’s about to launch his own brewery: Redbud Brewing Company. Slated to begin distribution on Tuesday, Redbud will initially release two beers:…
Fight club
To combat this, Singer recommends learning “confrontation reduction skills.” Key among these is active listening. “The key to all interpersonal communications is genuine listening, as opposed to defensive listening, where you plan your retort while the other person is talking to you,” Singer said. “In order to begin to really listen, paraphrase what the other…
Miniature magic carpet ride
After 12 weeks of rehearsals, the youngsters of the Norman venue’s junior production class are ready to transport theatergoers to “A Whole New World” in their staging of Disney’s “Aladdin Jr.” Starting Friday, the production features young actors, all of them ages 8 to 12, who were ecstatic to be performing in a show they…
Rise and shine
Career tracks in the contemporary art world are not simple straight lines. The trajectory is different for each individual, so artists taking their first steps into the professional realm need more guidance. To help the next wave, Mainsite Contemporary Art in Norman established the annual “Emergent Artists” exhibit, showcasing notable newbies. Showing through Feb. 5,…
Kung Fu Dunk
Roughly (read: unofficially) based on the “Slam Dunk” manga and anime series, the Hong Kong flick finds its center in Fang Shijie, orphaned as an infant and raised in a martial arts school where he is taught the “Altering Universe” fighting style. This allows for the disassembly and reshaping of atomic particles at will, giving…
Idiots & Angels
First, it’s not a short, but at 78 minutes, his first feature since 2004. Second, it’s decidedly darker than his usual terrain. Third … well, in the opening scene, what looks like the main character’s morning wood rustling under the covers is actually an alarm clock. (The end scene? That’s another story.) The film plays…
Positive perceptions
An overwhelming majority of Oklahoma City’s likely voters believe the municipality is on the right track and has done a good job handling the MAPS funds, according to a recent poll. The exclusive poll of 303 registered Oklahoma City voters was conducted by SoonerPoll.com, sponsored by Oklahoma Gazette and has a margin of error of…
Leggo my emo
Jimmy Eat World isn’t known as a political band, but its four members have been active in their native Arizona when it comes to their favorite member of Congress, Rep. Gabrielle Giffords. They’ve played a few fundraisers for her in the past, and so they were particularly distraught, like most Americans, in the wake of…
Crown heights
Oklahoma City’s Wanda Jackson carries a storied past, but she’s not dwelling on it. She’s a legend, an icon, a slice of rock ’n’ roll history, and while those things are well and good, all she’s ever really wanted is a crowd to hear her sing. Nearly two years ago, she was inducted into the…
Fold me now
Ben Folds has been at this so long that the first release of his second band was 10 years ago. “That’s my old shit now. That’s fucked up,” he said, laughing. But even if “Rockin’ the Suburbs,” his first album of piano pop under his own name after the dissolution of ’90s indie critical darling…
PALing around
Boxing is nearly a full-time job for 16-year-old Alex Saucedo. The 145pound Oklahoma City fighter visits the gym seven days a week in his bid to qualify for the 2012 Olympics. He isn’t sure if his citizenship will come through in time to qualify for the U.S. team or if he will be fighting for…
Steven Drozd — The Heart Is a Drum Machine
Steven Drozd — The Heart Is a Drum Machine The Flaming Lips are incredibly self-contained; the members rarely do side projects. So it’s with great interest that multi-instrumentalist Steven Drozd’s score for the music documentary “The Heart Is a Drum Machine” appears, as the Lips’ resident music genius hasn’t released his own stuff (ignoring studio…
Everything matters when it comes to charity stripe
Did the player wait the right amount of time before running off his screener? Was the pump fake convincing enough? Could the Thunder Girls’ outfits distract the defender for a split second? Everything matters. When it comes to the outcome of a game, the margin of error is even smaller. In games where teams regularly…
’Pike psyched
Turnpike Troubadours front man Evan Felker may be young, but he ain’t new. His songs traffic in the kind of everyday moments and perpetual longings traced by artists like Bruce Springsteen and Steve Earle. The Oklahoma quintet has been around for roughly three years, but it seems like a longer time. That’s the feeling of…
Wolf men
There’s a hypothesized critical period to language acquisition that ranges from about 5 years old to puberty, in which humans develop their ability to communicate verbally and after which, find it difficult, if not almost impossible, to foster. Peter Pisano, a former private school teacher and vocally active half of the Minneapolis folk duo Peter…
Oklahoma’s drivers more than OK
“States such as Alabama, Louisiana, Michigan and Oklahoma made significant improvements in 2010, such as increasing the age and requirements for getting a license, banning the use of wireless communications devices for novice drivers, and adding or improving limits on teen passengers and nighttime driving for newly licensed teens,” states a press release from North…
Johnny be good
Currently, many of Johnny’s Lunch Box customers are construction workers from around the country working at the nearby Devon Energy skyscraper project. “They tell me that coming in here and eating is like having mom’s home cooking, wherever that might be,” owner Ed Strawn said. “That’s a neat deal, being able to please people from…
Vidal signs
Don’t think the ukelele and banjo are punk? Lauris Vidal begs to differ, and has the manic live show to prove it. Lauris Vidal with Chase Kerby, Justin Joslin and Taylor Gary 9 p.m. thursday Blue Note Lounge 2408 N. Robinson 600-1166 $5 Florida isn’t just retirement resorts and Disney World. It’s lush greenery, pristine…
I Love You Phillip Morris
Phillip was born on Friday the 13th, which Steven declares is his lucky day. It is. Over a five-year period, Russell escaped from Texas prisons four times, each one on that date. Sounds too unlikely to be true, right? Little do you know. This film is adapted by directors Glenn Ficarra and John Requa, co-authors…
Where’s the beef?
Animals that are grass-fed are much leaner, and because of their diet, they have nutrients that are not present in meats that are grain-fed. PlumRich Beef, owned by Hans Plum and Bart Richey, is one local company that provides locally raised, grass-fed Texas longhorn meat to local retailers and restaurants, plus by arrangement to individual…
Miraculously marvelous
Written in 1957, “The Miracle Worker” dramatizes the story of Helen Keller’s fateful meeting with the teacher who would change her life. At just more than a year old, Keller was stricken by a disease that robbed her of her sight and hearing. By the time she turned 10, Keller’s family was close to giving…
Tiny Furniture
Warning: Those allergic to quirkiness may be sent into fits of anaphylactic shock by the DIY indie “Tiny Furniture,” but the immune among us will find something of a rough gem. The microbudget dramedy plays Friday through Sunday at the Oklahoma City Museum of Art. New Yorker Lena Dunham is the film’s writer, director and…
Digital artist to offer workshop Saturday promoting youth arts center
He has worked with Lil’ Wayne, Owl City, DC Comics and more. Damer will demonstrate and teach elements of Photoshop, Illustrator, After Effects and Cinema 4D from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 29 at Northchurch.tv, 1601 W. Memorial, to kick off fundraising and awareness of a proposed media arts center for junior…
David Lynch — Good Day Today/I Know
While it’s not out of the question one of its cuts may become a dance club fixture, the disc is best experienced — and an experience it is — via headphones. “Good Day Today” is an optimistic, up-tempo number beget from an initial burst of chaotic static. With lyrics referencing angels, the sweetened-past-recognition voice of…
Psychosis
For example, in “Paper Man,” Jeff Daniels is a novelist under extreme pressure to deliver a new book, so he goes to a remote location where things in his head start to distract him. In “Psychosis,” Charisma Carpenter is a novelist under extreme pressure to deliver a new book, so she goes to a remote…
Paranormal Activity 2
Granted, with the first film being more or less “just all right,” incoming director Tod Williams (who helmed the underrated John Irving adaptation “The Door in the Floor”) didn’t have to jump very high to clear the bar set by Oren Peli, but he jumped even higher than that. This sequel is actually a prequel,…
Rep. Kern clarifies science education bill, denies it endorses religion
Kern told Oklahoma Gazette the release is to respond to concerns she has been hearing that her bill is “anti-evolution.” Both Kern and Sen. Josh Brecheen, R-Coalgate, filed bills before the deadline that address science education. Brecheen’s is SB 554. “Legislation filed by state Rep. Sally Kern would ensure school policies allow for a full…
Stone lithographs tell wordless stories
“Stone lithography best describes my narrative and personal imagery as an honest and pure depiction of storytelling,” said the Cameron University art professor. An exhibit of her lithographs and drawings, “A Time of Protection,” currently is on display through Feb. 20 at the state Capitol’s North Gallery. “Many of the works … are inspired by…
Archer: The Complete Season One
Both shows carry a retro-cool feel and appear to be — how novel! — actually written, as opposed to the seemingly made-up-as-we-go-along dreck that has filled most of Adult Swim’s slate since its second year. That kind of improv nonsense may work for baked couch potatoes, but the rest of us prefer their humor a…
The Six Million Dollar Man: The Complete Collection
And speaking of technology, it took seemingly forever, but the ever-popular ’70s superhero series “The Six Million Dollar Man” has finally made its way to DVD in a massive, mind-blowing, 40-disc set (no, that’s not a typo — I wrote 40) from Time-Life, offering $6 million worth of fun for a relatively bargain-basement $239.95. It’s…
Butch and Sundance: The Early Days / Death Hunt
Nothing I can ascertain, outside of now sharing digital bits on Shout! Factory’s new “Action/Adventure Double Feature” release. I love such collections, if only for the X-for-the-price-of-one value. As one would guess, 1979’s “Butch and Sundance” is a prequel to the 1969 Paul Newman/Robert Redford classic, “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.” You may not…
Chain Letter
Turns out, I had nothing to fear but fear itself, because what a difference a budget makes! Although it’s nothing to write Mom about (she’s a wuss when it comes to things, no?), it’s enjoyable in that delightfully brain-dead way for which weekend movie-watching was invented. After one of the greatest opening sequences I’ve seen…
RED
Still, its cast of old pros — including Bruce Willis, Morgan Freeman, John Malkovich and a machine gun-toting Helen Mirren — is having such a fun time playing dress-up and waving weapons and cracking wise, only the most hardhearted movie watcher could resist. That isn’t to say the film, which is new to Blu-ray and…
Primal
After a caveman prologue, the film throws out a cool credit sequence that takes the viewer through 12,000 years of time in mere seconds. It sets you up for a unique DVD experience, yet the plot that unfolds is quite generic. Six coupling campers drive to a remote area of the outback for a hike.…
OKC Beautiful and companies join forces to remove dead pines Jan. 22
That day, several local tree removal companies will donate their services to remove approximately 70 trees located throughout the city. The companies will cut trees and grind stumps from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Volunteers are needed to pick up branches and pull them to the curb, while the City of Oklahoma City will remove and burn…
Quartz Mountain’s summer arts program expands to piano
Held June 11-26 at Quartz Mountain resort in southwestern Oklahoma, OSAI offers instruction by nationally renowned professional artists in acting, creative writing, ballet, modern dance, orchestra, chorus, drawing/painting, photography and film/video. Students are selected by auditions beginning Jan. 16 at locations across the state. To attend, applicants must attend a Oklahoma public, private or…
Citing financial projections, The Oklahoman terminates 46 positions
The reduction in staff brings the total number of employees to 690, according to a statement posted on the newspaper’s website, and the layoffs affect most major departments at the company. In the fall of 2008, The Oklahoman cut 150 jobs through early retirement and layoffs, and in May, laid off 57 employees. In an…
Top Shot: Season One
Like every other reality show these days, it uses “Survivor” as its template. Heck, even former “Survivor” runner-up/current good ol’ boy Colby Donaldson serves as host, presiding over all marksmanship matters. The premise rounds up 16 people already well-skilled in shooting — a cop, a Marine, a student, etc. — and goes through several challenges…
Saw 3D
For everyone else, this is one of the better entries, attempting to tie up all those dangling threads into a satisfying end. Since 2004’s “Saw,” the little indie that could, the core plot has stayed the same: A mad genius known as Jigsaw teaches life-and-death morality lessons via twisted traps. That’s true here, but with…
Piranha 3D
It’s a loose remake of Joe Dante’s “Piranha,” which was born in 1978 because producer Roger Corman wanted to cash in on the popularity of “Jaws.” It worked. Things come full circle in “Mirrors” director Alexandre Aja’s version, opening with a prologue that winks back at Steven Spielberg’s shark blockbuster by having Richard Dreyfuss essentially…
