Thinning the Herd
A burglary suspect, running from police on San Francisco’s Telegraph Hill in September, jumped over a 3-foot wall, apparently not realizing that on the other side was a 200-foot drop. He died at the scene. A 22-year-old woman was fatally hit by a car in Dallas in June when she stopped on the busy LBJ…
Update
Kory McFarren, 37, was the boyfriend of the Kansas woman found stuck to the toilet seat of her home in February after living reclusively in the bathroom. Though McFarren somehow had been unable to coax the woman out of the bathroom for long periods of time over the last several years, he was lucky enough,…
The Outer Limits: The Complete Original Series ” Volumes 1-3
1963-1965 There is nothing wrong with your television set. Do not attempt to adjust the picture. The complete run of the original ” Outer Limits” really is available in one complete set! Often mentioned in the same breath “? if not quite as heated “? as “The Twilight Zone,” “The Outer Limits” is arguably TV’s…
People Different From Us
In the town of Sekiu, near Port Angeles, Wash., in October, Ms. Cory Davis, 56, was shot in the leg by her stove. (A .22-gauge shotgun shell had found its way into some newspapers that she had put on to burn. “There’s always that one problem stray,” she said.) A 21-year-old woman was arrested in…
Least Competent Barroom Brawler
In July Scott Bennett, 48, lost an eye in a fight at the Mavericks night club in Sioux City, Iowa. Then, on Oct. 12, in another fight at Mavericks, Bennett lost his other eye. Coincidentally in October, Britain’s worst professional boxer, Peter Buckley, announced he will retire after his next bout. He has lost 88…
Latest Religious Messages
A Buddhist temple in Nakhon Nayok, Thailand, offers quickie “reincarnation” sessions in which people climb into “coffins,” “die” while a priest’s chants chase away the evil spirits of the old person, who is then “reborn” as someone different. The temple has nine such coffins to serve the long lines of optimists (who must stand well…
Bricktown merchant mourns death of district’s pioneer
Jim Cowan remembers the Fourth of July celebration in Bricktown nearly a decade ago. The Bricktown Canal had just opened and 1999 was going to be the first holiday celebration for the area. Cowan remembers Jim Brewer telling him thousands of people would show up for the event. Cowan, former owner of Bricktown Brewery, was skeptical…
Dead wrong and proud of it
The world wept for joy; Oklahoma spat defiantly. The glory train of history pulled out of the station; Oklahoma waved goodbye and said “good riddance.” Dr. King’s dream came true; Oklahoma slumbered on, curled up on the hearth of racism and addicted to the mind-numbing power of the word “conservative.” Whatever the rest of the…
Cultural Diversity
Rituals: The chairman of a Nigerian development company was charged in August with stealing what is now the equivalent of $5.5 million, and burning $2 million of that in cash so he could smear the ashes over his naked body in a nighttime “fortification” ritual in a cemetery. Four people were arrested in October after…
Board gives final approval to Chamber building design
The Greater Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce gets to build the silver football-shaped building in downtown Oklahoma City, but the big flashing sign out front has to wait for now. HIP DESTINATIONEVENTS CALENDARPROTESTS BEFORE THE BOARD The city’s Board of Adjustment voted unanimously Nov. 6 to approve exceptions to city code that would have required…
Jane Austen’s tale of romance, reputation is recreated for the stage
The University of Oklahoma School of Drama and University Theatre present “Pride and Prejudice,” a play based on Jane Austen’s beloved novel. A classic English tale of romance, “Pride and Prejudice” tells the story Elizabeth Bennet and her journey of self-discovery and love in a world where birth determines status, while reputations prove more valuable…
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18):
All of the good works you do in the coming week will send ripples far and wide, but not all of them will be recognized and appreciated. I hope that’s OK with you; I hope you won’t get obsessed with trying to get all the credit you deserve. The fact is, your influences will be…
Annual Peace Festival offers opportunity for holiday shopping
Tired of crass commercialism, cheap, plastic toys and halfhearted keepsakes? Want your holiday shopping to mean something this year? Look no further than the 22nd annual Peace Festival. Saturday’s festival is your one-stop shop for meaningful mementos that not only give you a head start on your Christmas wish lists, but also help make the…
Foundation holds juried exhibition show to raise funds for HIV/AIDS
Red is a color loaded with meaning. Often associated with passion, sex and anger, the hue has also become associated with HIV/AIDS awareness. Oklahoma City-based group The Red Line Foundation is holding its second annual “Red Show,” a juried exhibition featuring artists who embraced the color of red to help fight an epidemic. “The only…
Living The Marriage Of A Lifetime – Kim Kimberling
ahoma City-based family counselor Kim Kimberling offers the “best gift you can give your marriage” in his self-help book, “Living the Marriage of a Lifetime.” Perhaps “self-help” isn’t the best adjective, however, as God must be present as well, according to Kimberling. Yes, the book comes from a Christian perspective, but don’t take that to…
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19):
Check out this excerpt from “Those Who Do Not Dance,” by Chilean poet Gabriel Mistral: “God asked from on high, / ‘How do I come down from this blueness?’ / We told Him: /come dance with us in the light.” I love this passage because it reminds me that nothing is ever set in stone:…
Oklahoma Community Orchestra debuts first performance of challenging season
Dizzy Gillespie and his impossibly large, chipmunk cheeks helped found Afro-Cuban jazz, aided in ushering in the age of bebop jazz, and influenced a generation of performers. On Sunday, the Oklahoma Community Orchestra will celebrate the legend’s catalogue of work with “The Music of Dizzy Gillespie” at Oklahoma Christian University. “Even though the program features…
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20):
Describing his writing class at Sarah Lawrence College, Jeffrey McDaniel says: “There are two kinds of humor: ha-ha humor that is light and airy and floats into the sky like a balloon, vanishing as the giggling subsides; and then there is a darker, heavier humor that is still there when the laughter stops, a humor…
Oklahoma sheriffs confiscate illegal bingo equipment
After an intense, two-month investigation, Altus police, along with the Jackson County Sheriff’s office and the District Attorney’s Drug Task Force, confiscated some equipment that allegedly was used illegally. What was this unspeakable incident? Well, a local bingo hall in Altus was raided, according to KSWO-TV in Lawton. Grannies and pepaws everywhere are on alert…
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21):
The New York Times ran a story about philosopher Nick Bostrom. He believes there’s a significant chance our world is actually a computer simulation. In his scenario, you and I are living in a version of The Matrix. Our “brains” are merely webs of computer circuits created by our post-human descendants, who are studying “ancestor…
Oklahoma man fails in attempt to break blowing records
There was so much hot air inside the Muskogee High School gymnasium that even the yappers at the state Capitol would be impressed. Brian Jackson, a 44-year-old motivational speaker, attempted to break a couple of world records using his mouth. The first was to blow up a weather balloon much longer than his frame, and…
Giving thanks
Oklahoma has enjoyed a pretty good string of successes over the last few years. Economic growth, cultural enhancements, community improvements, educational gains and corporate developments have been favorable. Being named the most “recession-proof” city in America by Forbes magazine is no small feat. We’ll likely test that accolade as the recession settles in, but the…
Create a cozy guest environment this holiday season
You’ve opened your home to annoying Aunt Edna, loud Cousin Joe and your beloved parents, and you wonder what you’ve gotten yourself into. It’s like a scene straight from “Sixteen Candles.” But don’t let the madness get your holidays down ” after all, they are family. Take these tips to not only make your guests…
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21):
In his book Signs of Success, astrologer Steven Weiss says “The question ‘Do you believe in astrology?’ is like asking someone if they believe in art.” I agree. Picture a no-nonsense physicist gazing at a Kandinsky painting, with its teeming blobs of mad color and exuberant shapes, and declaring it to be a superstitious eruption…
IAO hosts ‘Red Dot’ auction
Instead of a dream date, why not bid on a dreamy piece of artwork and mark your territory “¦ with a red dot. A creative twist to auctioning off dates, Individual Artists of Oklahoma hosts “Red Dot” “? an auction for commissioned pieces created by local artists, from 7-11 p.m. Saturday at the IAO Gallery,…
Fine Points of the Law
A 38-year-old man was cited for disorderly conduct in Fond du Lac, Wis., in September after he bought a beer for his sons, ages 2 and 4, at the county fair. He could not be cited for providing alcohol to minors because, under Wisconsin law, parents are exempt, but he was written up for swearing…
TAURUS (April 20-May 20):
The time for keeping the doors closed is passing. But it is not yet the right moment to fling them wide open. According to my reading of the omens, your best strategy is to keep doors ajar — open just a crack, letting some air in and allowing a hint of your light to trickle…
Gallery shows off work of Oklahoma natives now thriving on East Coast
day night. Tickets for the preview are $250 and will allow patrons to get an early peek, as well as bid in a silent auction featuring donated works. “The purpose of the fund-raiser is to help fund this exhibit and bring the artwork in as well as future programming in 2009 so we can keep…
House
“House” gets off to a good start: A failing married couple gets lost on the back roads of Alabama on their way to a counseling session in Montgomery. Take directions back to the highway from a creepy cop (Michael Madsen, “Scary Movie 4,” “Sin City”). Tires blow on trash in road. Wind up at spooky…
Role Models
Arguably the first Judd Apatow comedy bearing no involvement by Judd Apatow, “Role Models” rides the currently in-vogue wave of mixing vulgarity with sympathy, in hopes of offending your sensibilities, hurting your sides and maybe “? just maybe “? touching your heart. It mostly succeeds. Credit is due to its affable leads, the oil-and-vinegar best…
Italian opera flies with stellar production of Puccini’s ‘La Rondine’
The Oklahoma City University School of Music has mounted a stunningly beautiful production of “La Rondine,” a lesser-known and somewhat flawed opera by Italian composer Giacomo Puccini. “La Rondine” (“The Swallow’) tells the story of Magda, mistress to the wealthy banker Rambaldo. Thanks to her wealthy sponsor, Magda seems to have it all, yet secretly…
Asian District launches diverse festival to celebrate culture with food, music
Chris Vannarath, a chiropractor in the Asian District and president of the Asian District Association, said Saturday’s inaugural Asian Festival will be a cultural celebration and an introduction to businesses in the area. “Those of us who live and work down here know how great this community is, but we want everyone to know,” Vannarath…
GEMINI (May 21-June 20):
“There is a rose in Spanish Harlem,” sings Ben E. King in his old pop ballad. “It is a special one/ It’s never seen the sun/ It only comes out when the moon is on the run.” King is fantasizing with longing about an alluring woman from a hardscrabble neighborhood. The rose is “growing in…
Organization provides urban space for artists to cross-pollinate, get creative
As an Oklahoma-based artist, Chad Mount sees the city’s creative class growing stronger and more diverse. Now, he hopes Uptown United, a new performance venue he co-founded, will provide a platform for local artists who want to explore, experiment and blur the lines between genres and media. “Over the last few years, I have seen…
Host your own wine tasting to throw unique holiday party
Tired of the typical holiday dinner parties? Shake things up by throwing a festive wine-tasting party that mixes sophistication and fun. Bonus: You won’t have to cook or clean up a messy kitchen. WHAT’S YOUR TYPE?BOTTLES FOR YOUR BUCKLET THE TASTING BEGIN All you’ll need is a set of wineglasses, a corkscrew and, of course,…
Rose State hosts ‘Oliver!’
Oliver Twist, the child protagonist in the musical “Oliver!,” begins the search to fill his hunger for love and a family 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at Rose State College Performing Arts Theatre, 6420 S.E. 15th in Midwest City. Based on the classic Charles Dickens story, “Oliver!” is the Broadway hit by Lionel Bart that dramatizes loyalty,…
ARIES (March 21-April 19):
“You can’t know fire unless you play with it,” says Mark Finney, a math whiz who develops computer models for fighting forest fires. I offer that as a motto for you in the coming week, Aries. I’m not saying you should purposely ignite a conflagration for the sake of impulsive experimentation. I’m not saying you…
Why females continue to earn less money than males
Recent research in the Journal of Economic Analysis and Policy sheds light on the thorny social issue of why females continue to earn less money than males, even in similar jobs. Competing hypotheses have been advanced: It’s either gender discrimination or simply that more women than men de-emphasize career aggressiveness in favor of family. The…
Oklahoma City voters approve four city charter changes
Oklahoma City voters gave thumbs up to four out of five city charter amendments at last week’s election. All of the amendments dealt with the city council as a body and two passed easily. But the two amendments targeted at being a member of the council had mixed results. A proposition which provides a temporary…
Oklahoma State plans to manage its donated money more wisely
Oklahoma State University applauded last month’s gift from alum T. Boone Pickens. After all, the billionaire oilman donated another $63 million for completing football stadium renovations after a previous gift sharply dropped while invested in Pickens’ own hedge fund, according to The Chronicle of Philanthropy newspaper. Pickens bet his hindquarters that Oklahoma State University would…
Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa
What’s all the fuss about? “Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa” is amusing “? especially if the sight of animated animal butts moving to music turns you on “? beyond which, it’s entertaining enough, but it’s just a cartoon movie. This time out, the four animal friends from the Central Park Zoo leave their castaway status in…
Juxtapositions: Brunel Faris and the Visual Arts in Oklahoma City – Christiane Faris and Margaret Flansburg
Full Circle Press Brunel Faris was not just an extremely talented artist, but a catalyst for building a strong arts community in the metro. “Juxtapositions: Brunel Faris and the Visual Arts in Oklahoma City” celebrates the life and work of the man who died in 2005, yet lives on among the many people he inspired.…
Downtown Oklahoma City area will get $135 million in next 10 years
Conditions required by Devon Energy for the City of Oklahoma City to meet before it builds its 54-story world headquarters came a step closer to satisfaction Nov. 7. DEVON CONDITIONSTIF 411 With an uncontested, unanimous vote, the Downtown/MAPS Tax Increment Review Committee recommended the approval of a new tax increment finance district within an existing…
Bands, vendors assemble one-stop music, merchandise spot
For the second time this year and the seventh time overall, metro music lovers have the chance to hear free music and peruse rock regalia at Saturday’s Holiday Rock ‘n’ Roll Garage Sale. Formerly named the Punk Rock Garage Sale, the free event includes a slew of local bands and vendors, and has proven a…
Every Oklahoma county voted for McCain
If Oklahoma is now the reddest of the red states, it is not because Oklahoma is the most conservative place in the country. That, at least, is the belief of Barack Obama’s Oklahoma City campaign coordinator Jeff Bezdek. DOMINANCEEXIT POLL NUMBERS “This state is no different than any other state,” Bezdek said. “It just needed…
Quantum of Solace
A follow-up to 2006’s “Casino Royale,” the latest James Bond flick finds our intrepid agent adventurer mad as hell. Still reeling from the death of his love, Vesper Lynd, 007 (Daniel Craig, “The Golden Compass,” “The Invasion”) is out for blood. The opening scene to “Quantum of Solace” has the revenge lust boiling over in…
Happy Go Lucky
One of the most disarming things about “Happy-Go-Lucky” is how damned normal it is. Its central character, a London grade-school teacher who goes by the nickname Poppy, is utterly without guile or malice. Played by Sally Hawkins (“Cassandra’s Dream,” “The Painted Veil”), this 30-year-old single woman isn’t nursing deep psychological wounds or agonizing through bouts…
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22):
For decades the U.S. government has handed out far more welfare benefits to big corporations than to poor people. Companies like IBM, General Electric, Boeing, and others rake in over 100 billion dollars of subsidies each year. In other words, socialism has been a prominent feature of our so-called capitalist system for a long time.…
Local golf legends follow lead of still-viable Arnold Palmer on, off course
Long before Tiger Woods began attracting enormous galleries with his record-obliterating victories and negotiating $100 million endorsement deals as a result of those performances, corporate America’s marriage to professional sports and the athletes who play them was doing just fine. ENDORSEMENT PIKEPUBLIC STAGE Sports heroes have become public icons over the years. It’s nothing new,…
One Tree Hill’ singer plans Norman show
If you haven’t seen Ryan Lindsey live, chances are you’ve already heard him. After signing a publishing deal, his songs have been featured in the strangest of places, from the soundtrack to indie film “American Teen” and The CW’s “One Tree Hill” to finding airtime in Starbucks, Old Navy and The Gap. “I’ve seen an…
I Dream of Jeannie: The Complete Series
1965-1970 Maybe it’s the serious crush I harbored on Barbara Eden while I was in the third grade, but catching any glimpse of “I Dream of Jeannie” never fails to make me smile. Created by novelist Sidney Sheldon (!), the harmless but not charmless sitcom has become a classic, via endless reruns on syndicated television.…
Seattle fans deride Oklahoma City for not selling out second Thunder game
The die-hard Sonics fans (those folks from Seattle that say we stole their Thunder, er, SuperSonics) are still having a hard time letting go. A Nov. 6 posting on the Supersonics Soul blog, “The Sonics blog for the Sonics people” was ominously titled “Not Very Thunderful.” Uh-oh. We’re a bit afraid to keep reading. It…
Oklahoma City wasn’t always married to the car
Dr. George Cross, president of the University of Oklahoma, began writing a heartfelt letter to the Oklahoma Corporation Commission at his desk. It was the summer of 1946 and the new owners of the Oklahoma Railway Company had just petitioned the commission seeking to discontinue commuter rail service from Oklahoma City to Norman. EXPANDING THE…
