Hyperactive Seniors
Not Too Old to Do Her Own Hit: Elsa Seman, 71, was shot and killed in North Versailles, Pa., in September, when she was mistaken for a prowler. According to police, Seman had gone to the home of her ex-boyfriend at night and, dressed in black, commando-style, was lying in wait in his yard with…
Recurring Themes
Drug-Runners Who Needed to Keep a Lower Profile: Michael Dennis, 22, of Mahoning Township, Pa., dared to speed in May, police said, even though he had 100 packets of heroin in the back seat. Mark Smith of Winslow, Ariz., dared to run a stop sign in Philadelphia in September, police said, even though he was…
Recurring Themes
Drug-Runners Who Needed to Keep a Lower Profile: Michael Dennis, 22, of Mahoning Township, Pa., dared to speed in May, police said, even though he had 100 packets of heroin in the back seat. Mark Smith of Winslow, Ariz., dared to run a stop sign in Philadelphia in September, police said, even though he was…
Fine Points of British Law
A September inquest into the 2007 suicide of a 26-year-old woman found that doctors at Norfolk and Norwich Hospital could have saved her, but that because she had executed a living will ordering no treatment, they rebuffed the pleas of family members to treat her because, they said, they feared the woman would sue them…
Hyperactive Seniors
Not Too Old to Do Her Own Hit: Elsa Seman, 71, was shot and killed in North Versailles, Pa., in September, when she was mistaken for a prowler. According to police, Seman had gone to the home of her ex-boyfriend at night and, dressed in black, commando-style, was lying in wait in his yard with…
Fine Points of British Law
A September inquest into the 2007 suicide of a 26-year-old woman found that doctors at Norfolk and Norwich Hospital could have saved her, but that because she had executed a living will ordering no treatment, they rebuffed the pleas of family members to treat her because, they said, they feared the woman would sue them…
Andy Barker, P.I.: The Complete Series
2007 Andy Richter may be the king of canceled-too-soon comedies. First, there was “Andy Richter Controls the Universe.” More recently, it was “Andy Barker, P.I.” The former lasted two semi-seasons on Fox, but the latter squeaked out a mere six episodes on NBC before getting axed. It’s not the work of brilliance that “Universe” was,…
Leading Economic Indicators
People With Too Much Money: A young, media-shy Chinese woman, identified only as “Mrs. Wang” and photographed in jeans, a T-shirt and baseball cap, purchased an 18-month-old Tibetan mastiff in September for a reported 4 million yuan (about $585,000). She ordered a motorcade of 30 luxury cars to meet her and the dog on their…
The Butcher
2009 While the packaging claims “The Butcher” was “too brutal and shocking to be released” in its native Korea, I’d like to think the powers that be simply found it too boring. Don’t get me wrong: It’s gory, all right, but it’s more of a showcase in makeup effects than a feature film. The story…
Leading Economic Indicators
People With Too Much Money: A young, media-shy Chinese woman, identified only as “Mrs. Wang” and photographed in jeans, a T-shirt and baseball cap, purchased an 18-month-old Tibetan mastiff in September for a reported 4 million yuan (about $585,000). She ordered a motorcade of 30 luxury cars to meet her and the dog on their…
Animal Weird News
CNN, reporting from the London Zoo in August, described the excitement surrounding news that the zoo would soon acquire a 12-year-old male gorilla from a preserve in France. Zoo officials were pleased, but its three older female gorillas were almost ecstatic. Shown posters of “Yeboah,” the male, female “Zaire” “shrieked in delight”; “Effie” wedged the…
Animal Weird News
CNN, reporting from the London Zoo in August, described the excitement surrounding news that the zoo would soon acquire a 12-year-old male gorilla from a preserve in France. Zoo officials were pleased, but its three older female gorillas were almost ecstatic. Shown posters of “Yeboah,” the male, female “Zaire” “shrieked in delight”; “Effie” wedged the…
What is a woman in her 40s to do?
After living under the specter of breast cancer complete with the laminated self-examination card hanging in her shower for the past decade, she commences with a right-of-passage: the annual mammogram at 40. Here is something more powerful than the monthly please-don’t-let-there-be-anything-there sweep of fingertips that will give her some reassurance that technology will detect, or…
What is a woman in her 40s to do?
After living under the specter of breast cancer complete with the laminated self-examination card hanging in her shower for the past decade, she commences with a right-of-passage: the annual mammogram at 40. Here is something more powerful than the monthly please-don’t-let-there-be-anything-there sweep of fingertips that will give her some reassurance that technology will detect, or…
On rail transportation
Renewed interest in rail stems from U.S. dependence on foreign oil, decline of supplies, wildly erratic fuel prices and the high efficiency, safety and carrying capacity of passenger and freight by rail. And the Association of Central Oklahoma Governments now has a rail transit committee, which may somewhat counteract decades of rail neglect in Oklahoma.…
Joe Jack Talcum forges on with other acts, acerbic solo songs
Joe Jack Talcum said he’s never heard a word from Mötley Crüe singer Vince Neil, despite immortalizing his vehicular manslaughter charge in Dead Milkmen’s satirical 1980s send-up, “Bitchin’ Camaro.” EIGHT ALBUMS SOLO CAREER Whether hailing the joys of “Smokin’ Banana Peels,” escaped 4-H projects lunching on a Dead tour (“The Thing That Only Eats Hippies”),…
Enid surgeon raises cloned cattle
From Reuters comes the heartwarming story of neurosurgeon Barry Pollard and his Pollard Farms, an Enid cattle ranch home to 22 cloned Black Angus mooers. Pollard said he’s just one of many that are welcoming in a new age of agriculture. “We’re trying to stay on the very top of the heap of quality, genetically,…
Vampire Party
2008 Americans will be pleased to know that the French are perfectly capable of making dumb comedies, too. Case in point: “Vampire Party.” Presumably, it’s a spoof, but if the only movie you can poke fun at directly is “Titanic” “? a gag stale about 11 years ago “? you don’t quite qualify. In the…
Crusaders rugby club gear up for new season
After every rugby match, tradition calls for the home club to host a social event in honor of the visiting club. Nothing black tie or even semiformal ” more like opposing warriors getting together over food and drinks to recite the highlights of their most recent conflict. MOUTHPIECE ROUGH NATURE It basically falls under the…
Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art frames small snapshot from artist, dedicated collector
Of her recent donation of her photography collection to the Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art at the University of Oklahoma, Carol Beesley said, “I’ve always wanted beautiful things around me, and I just decided it was time to share.” ECLECTIC SENSE ROTATION “The Creative Eye: Selections from the Carol Beesley Collection of Photographs, in…
Stillwater’s BrotherBear shares, records more-electronic ideas between college classes
College seems a funny time for rock musicians, where the optimism of your hundred closest high school friends faithfully attending every show dwindles. Dividing time, performers start paying their own bills and find that sometimes a final exam or report has to take precedence over band practice and that having a “real” job means heading…
Three strikes, you’re out
There is an unwritten rule in baseball, a cardinal sin if you will, that says never take the third strike. If you look at the third strike and allow the umpire to call you out because you failed to swing the bat, this is not acceptable in the baseball world. Unfortunately, baseball players from the…
MAPS 3 proposal contains details you may not know
ds because it’s such a heavily used venue. You walk around out there and say, ‘We can do better than this.'” State Fair Park president and general manager Tim O’Toole said the city is losing out on business because the existing buildings are getting too old. Of the five buildings used for shows and exhibits,…
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20):
In the coming week, keep a lookout for invisible snakes, pretend ghosts, and illusory dragons. Be prepared to gaze upon gruff displays that are no threat to you and hints of fermenting chaos that will never materialize. In other words, Pisces, your subconscious mind may be prone to conjuring up imaginary problems that have little…
Linda Soundtrak returns to Oklahoma to shoot commercials promote new store
To the delight or chagrin of Oklahoma City television viewers, Linda Soundtrak is coming back. THEMED COMMERCIALS WAVE OF PROSPERITY INTERESTING PROPOSITION SLOWED DOWN? The spunky, fast-talking Chicagoan was a commercial mainstay on many of the televisions she helped sell from the mid 1970s to the early ’90s (vintage commercials) as the co-owner and spokeswoman…
Civic Center hosts ‘Little House on the Prairie: The Musical’
For generations, Laura Ingalls Wilder’s 1935 novel ” Little House on the Prairie: The Musical” has stolen the hearts of children everywhere. Although considered a classic, many youngsters of today don’t know the tale, but now metro families can experience the author’s Midwestern memories onstage in the form of a musical. “Little House on the…
Oklahoma senator holds up veteran’s health bill process
Good ol’ Tom Coburn is at it again, blocking legislation and proving his nickname, “Dr. No” is deserved. This time, he’s holding up a $3.7 billion veterans’ health care bill, according to the venerable Fox News. According to the story, he’s been blocking the bill since May, citing his stance that there can’t be legislation…
Freedom to use the best medicine for him
Regarding “The curious case of Will Foster” (News, Scott Cooper, Nov. 4, 2009, Gazette): Will Foster now sits in a cold, concrete cell in the Oklahoma County jail. His arthritic condition will no doubt be treated by the drugs that we, the taxpayers of this state, will be paying for. We have paid for six…
2012
Some movie plots are ripped from the headlines. Writer/director Roland Emmerich (“10,000 B.C.,” “The Day After Tomorrow”) takes his from the headlines of the late, lamented Weekly World News. My all-time favorite was the one informing us that indiscriminate tuna fishermen were netting and killing mermaids. You don’t get information like that from Oklahoma Gazette.…
Three strikes, you’re out
There is an unwritten rule in baseball, a cardinal sin if you will, that says never take the third strike. If you look at the third strike and allow the umpire to call you out because you failed to swing the bat, this is not acceptable in the baseball world. Unfortunately, baseball players from the…
The University of Oklahoma enlists audiences with opulent production of ‘The Three Musketeers’
Based on the classic novel by Alexander Dumas, “The Three Musketeers” recounts the adventures of young d’Artagnan and his three fellow musketeers “? Athos, Porthos and Aramis “? as they fight to preserve the monarchy of France, sometimes against the machinations of the manipulative Cardinal Richelieu and sometimes from its own indiscretions, brawling and drinking…
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21):
“Dear Rob: I love to be proven wrong. That’s not an ironic statement. I actually get excited and feel creative when I acquire new information that shows me I’ve been operating under a misunderstanding. One of my very favorite life moments occurs when I am convincingly liberated from a negative opinion I’ve been harboring about…
Violin virtuoso turned Victorian valkyrie issues a heady, bawdy concert
Insane Clown Posse won’t be the only ones in face paint this week. In fact, the circus surrounding Emilie Autumn is even more extravagant and high-concept, featuring everything from onstage baking to fire-breathers, performers on stilts, and a saucy burlesque revue. COLORFUL COLLAGE GERMAN LABEL UNSOLICITED DARK SIDE Surrounded by five corseted beauties known as…
AALIM BellyDance Academy offers exercises classes throughout metro OKC
The AALIM BellyDance Academy is offering exercise classes in Oklahoma City, Norman and Midwest City that can help women burn calories, strengthen muscles and increase flexibility. Academy owner Soraya Al Musri said the dance style works because it focuses on the body’s core muscle groups. Like Pilates, belly dancing helps strengthen muscles in the abdomen,…
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18):
In the ancient Greek epic poems the Iliad and the Odyssey, the nature of the psyche was portrayed differently from the way it is today. It was understood that people received information directly from the gods — not as vague feelings or abstract guesswork, but rather in the form of actual voices. In other words,…
Hochenauer nailed it’
I think Kurt Hochenauer nailed it in “The ‘Obama effect'” (Commentary, Oct. 28, 2009, Gazette). I know several people who openly voted against Barack Obama because he was an African-American. These same people would have voted for Hillary Clinton, had she been nominated. Their votes for John McCain were actually votes against Barack Obama. I’m…
Linda Soundtrak returns to Oklahoma to shoot commercials promote new store
To the delight or chagrin of Oklahoma City television viewers, Linda Soundtrak is coming back. THEMED COMMERCIALS WAVE OF PROSPERITY INTERESTING PROPOSITION SLOWED DOWN? The spunky, fast-talking Chicagoan was a commercial mainstay on many of the televisions she helped sell from the mid 1970s to the early ’90s (vintage commercials) as the co-owner and spokeswoman…
The Entrepreneurial Spirit
The British retailer Debenhams announced in September that it would begin selling men’s briefs whose opening is more accessible from the left side, for left-handers who have been forced for decades to manipulate a right-side opening. Previously, said a Debenhams executive, “(L)eft-handed men have to reach much further into their pants, performing a Z-shaped maneuver…
Oklahoma City political candidate comes clean on check
There are certain unwritten rules when campaigning for elected office. One of the most important rules is knowing whether you have ever been in trouble with the law. One state Senate candidate found that out, but didn’t feel it was important to inform the voters. Matt Jackson is a Republican candidate for Senate District 30,…
On rail transportation
Renewed interest in rail stems from U.S. dependence on foreign oil, decline of supplies, wildly erratic fuel prices and the high efficiency, safety and carrying capacity of passenger and freight by rail. And the Association of Central Oklahoma Governments now has a rail transit committee, which may somewhat counteract decades of rail neglect in Oklahoma.…
Organic lubricants
For some consumers, good environmental citizenship is important even when choosing among sex accessories. No longer will they tolerate plastic personal vibrators made with the softeners called phthalates; or body lubricants that contain toxic chemicals typically found in, say, antifreeze; or leather restraints from slaughtered cattle. In an October issue, Time magazine described a market…
ARIES (March 21-April 19):
“A chief event of life is the day in which we have encountered a mind that startled us,” wrote Ralph Waldo Emerson. My wish for you, Aries, is that you will have many such days in the coming weeks. In fact, I hope that you will be blessed over and over again with the hair-raising…
Questioning progress
After reading Oklahoma Gazette’s recent articles about MAPS 3, I have a question. If we build this third convention center (in addition to the Cox Convention Center and the Ford Center) with MAPS 3 funds, how will future attendees to conventions in this new center get from the airport to downtown? The Burlington Northern Santa…
Enid surgeon raises cloned cattle
From Reuters comes the heartwarming story of neurosurgeon Barry Pollard and his Pollard Farms, an Enid cattle ranch home to 22 cloned Black Angus mooers. Pollard said he’s just one of many that are welcoming in a new age of agriculture. “We’re trying to stay on the very top of the heap of quality, genetically,…
Violin virtuoso turned Victorian valkyrie issues a heady, bawdy concert
Insane Clown Posse won’t be the only ones in face paint this week. In fact, the circus surrounding Emilie Autumn is even more extravagant and high-concept, featuring everything from onstage baking to fire-breathers, performers on stilts, and a saucy burlesque revue. COLORFUL COLLAGE GERMAN LABEL UNSOLICITED DARK SIDE Surrounded by five corseted beauties known as…
Kevin Fowler prepares to hitch wagon to higher-horsepower help
Things have come full-circle for country artist Kevin Fowler. When he was a young, long-haired shredder, he got a little taste of the big time, and its sour finish shaped his musical career. Now 17 years later, having built an audience from the ground up, he’s ready to dip his toe in major-label waters again.…
Organic lubricants
For some consumers, good environmental citizenship is important even when choosing among sex accessories. No longer will they tolerate plastic personal vibrators made with the softeners called phthalates; or body lubricants that contain toxic chemicals typically found in, say, antifreeze; or leather restraints from slaughtered cattle. In an October issue, Time magazine described a market…
OCU’s ‘Die Fledermaus’ flaps with tale of masquerades, mistaken identity, revenge
0″ />Oklahoma City University’s Oklahoma Opera & Music Theater Company stages its last show of 2009 with the three-act comedic opera “Die Fledermaus” by Vienna’s waltz king, Johann Strauss II. Among the most popular operas in North America, “Die Fledermaus” (“The Bat,” in German) both celebrates and satirizes the wealthy, pleasure-seeking bourgeoisie of 19th-century Austria.…
GEMINI (May 21-June 20):
Mark, a friend of mine who lives in New Jersey, sent an overnight package via UPS to Jerry, a friend of his who lives 30 miles away in Pennsylvania. The delivery arrived on time, so Mark was happy with the service. But in checking the tracking information online, he discovered a curious thing: His package…
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22):
I think it’s high time to mess with the tried and true formulas. In order to do the most good for the most people, and to regenerate a wounded and weak part of yourself, you simply must create some cracks in the way things have always been done. You must push beyond your overly safe…
Sales help support parking system, but long-term questions remain
A call for building additional public parking in downtown Oklahoma City would be easy to make. After all, the system continued to enjoy an occupancy rate of 83 percent in September and has only a quarter of the debt it had less than a year ago. HOW TIMES CHANGED WHY NOT OTHERS? A TIDAL SHIFT…
Newly elected Tulsa council member loses wallet to thief
Well, here’s something you don’t read every day. Christ was arrested on complaints of public intoxication and petty larceny. Here’s the parable, lambs: A newly elected Tulsa City Council member was celebrating her win in downtown Tulsa last week when she noticed Jordan Lee Christ, 26, making off with her wallet, according to the Tulsa…
Tracy Reed returns to Oklahoma for two TrEas shows
Going all in on a music career is a frightening proposition, especially if that includes relocating to New York City, but that didn’t stop Tracy Reed from packing up after college and heading east to make a name for herself. Once there, she cast aside some of her more latent pop tendencies in favor of…
Civic Center hosts ‘Little House on the Prairie: The Musical’
For generations, Laura Ingalls Wilder’s 1935 novel ” Little House on the Prairie: The Musical” has stolen the hearts of children everywhere. Although considered a classic, many youngsters of today don’t know the tale, but now metro families can experience the author’s Midwestern memories onstage in the form of a musical. “Little House on the…
The Entrepreneurial Spirit
The British retailer Debenhams announced in September that it would begin selling men’s briefs whose opening is more accessible from the left side, for left-handers who have been forced for decades to manipulate a right-side opening. Previously, said a Debenhams executive, “(L)eft-handed men have to reach much further into their pants, performing a Z-shaped maneuver…
The All-American Rejects make future plans that may forgo immediate touring return
It’s November, but somewhere in Massachusetts, Mike Kennerty is soaking up some unseasonably summery rays. Just as the warm weather has outlasted its usual tenure this year, even in the northeast, Kennerty and the rest of The All-American Rejects ” Chris Gaylor, Tyson Ritter and Nick Wheeler ” are enjoying their own figurative Indian summer.…
TAURUS (April 20-May 20):
“Dear Rob: Last night my son and I were star-gazing. When we focused on the constellation Cassiopeia, an owl started hooting. Then a brilliant shooting star zipped by as a huge bat flew right over our heads. Was this a bad omen? Bats are creepy — associated with vampires. And in Greek mythology Cassiopeia got…
Point: A city united
As we venture on a new round of transformational projects that will set the course for our city’s economy for ourselves and the next generation, it is important we stop and realize one of the often undervalued legacies of the MAPS proposals. We are a city united that has pulled itself together. When we voted…
Point: A city united
As we venture on a new round of transformational projects that will set the course for our city’s economy for ourselves and the next generation, it is important we stop and realize one of the often undervalued legacies of the MAPS proposals. We are a city united that has pulled itself together. When we voted…
Oklahoma senator holds up veteran’s health bill process
Good ol’ Tom Coburn is at it again, blocking legislation and proving his nickname, “Dr. No” is deserved. This time, he’s holding up a $3.7 billion veterans’ health care bill, according to the venerable Fox News. According to the story, he’s been blocking the bill since May, citing his stance that there can’t be legislation…
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20):
In the coming week, keep a lookout for invisible snakes, pretend ghosts, and illusory dragons. Be prepared to gaze upon gruff displays that are no threat to you and hints of fermenting chaos that will never materialize. In other words, Pisces, your subconscious mind may be prone to conjuring up imaginary problems that have little…
The Band of Heathens continue to preach Americana gospel
The Austin, Texas-based Band of Heathens is a feisty group of musical buddies with three vocalists/songwriters, an unflinching love for the road, and the good fortune to have their fourth album, “One Foot in the Ether,” hit No. 1 on the Americana Music Association’s playlist in late October, just four weeks after its release. TWICE…
Joe Jack Talcum forges on with other acts, acerbic solo songs
Joe Jack Talcum said he’s never heard a word from Mötley Crüe singer Vince Neil, despite immortalizing his vehicular manslaughter charge in Dead Milkmen’s satirical 1980s send-up, “Bitchin’ Camaro.” EIGHT ALBUMS SOLO CAREER Whether hailing the joys of “Smokin’ Banana Peels,” escaped 4-H projects lunching on a Dead tour (“The Thing That Only Eats Hippies”),…
TAURUS (April 20-May 20):
“Dear Rob: Last night my son and I were star-gazing. When we focused on the constellation Cassiopeia, an owl started hooting. Then a brilliant shooting star zipped by as a huge bat flew right over our heads. Was this a bad omen? Bats are creepy — associated with vampires. And in Greek mythology Cassiopeia got…
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18):
In the ancient Greek epic poems the Iliad and the Odyssey, the nature of the psyche was portrayed differently from the way it is today. It was understood that people received information directly from the gods — not as vague feelings or abstract guesswork, but rather in the form of actual voices. In other words,…
Iconic 66 Bowl celebrates milestone with Wanda Jackson concert
The metro’s landmark bowling alley will close off lanes to make room for Wanda Jackson, the “Queen of Rockabilly” and 2009 inductee to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, on Saturday for 66 Bowl’s 50th anniversary celebration. LANE CROSSER NOSTALGIC FORMS The alley is owned and operated by the Haynes family, who purchased the…
The Damned United
This film, about a collection of character flaws in an English football manager, may have a tough row to hoe in America, but “The Damned United” isn’t at all about the game. Central character Brian Clough (Michael Sheen, “Underworld: Rise of the Lycans”) could coach the chess team and he’d be the same guy. Based…
Freedom to use the best medicine for him
Regarding “The curious case of Will Foster” (News, Scott Cooper, Nov. 4, 2009, Gazette): Will Foster now sits in a cold, concrete cell in the Oklahoma County jail. His arthritic condition will no doubt be treated by the drugs that we, the taxpayers of this state, will be paying for. We have paid for six…
Oklahoma’s The Flaming Lips produce provocative music video
To steal a title from one of The Flaming Lips’ albums, “Oh My Gawd!!!” For the song “Watching the Planets,” Oklahoma’s own Lips have made quite an eye-catching, eyebrow-raising music video. It’s one of those clips that would be banned from MTV, if MTV still played music. Those easily offended by full-frontal nudity and spherical…
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21):
“There’s nothing in a caterpillar that tells you it’s going to be a butterfly,” said philosopher Buckminster Fuller. I encourage you to make that your personal motto in the coming weeks, Scorpio. From what I can tell, you are capable of generating a transformation that will look impossible to casual observers. You have the power…
Counterpoint: MAPS 3 ignores city needs
In the past, the Fraternal Order of Police has not opposed MAPS initiatives. But MAPS 3 has gone too far. Out of three-fourths of a billion dollars, not one dime is being spent on education, roads, bridges, infrastructure or emergency services ” namely police and fire. Here are just a few of the numerous reasons…
MAPS 3 proposal contains details you may not know
ds because it’s such a heavily used venue. You walk around out there and say, ‘We can do better than this.'” State Fair Park president and general manager Tim O’Toole said the city is losing out on business because the existing buildings are getting too old. Of the five buildings used for shows and exhibits,…
Counterpoint: MAPS 3 ignores city needs
In the past, the Fraternal Order of Police has not opposed MAPS initiatives. But MAPS 3 has gone too far. Out of three-fourths of a billion dollars, not one dime is being spent on education, roads, bridges, infrastructure or emergency services ” namely police and fire. Here are just a few of the numerous reasons…
The Band of Heathens continue to preach Americana gospel
The Austin, Texas-based Band of Heathens is a feisty group of musical buddies with three vocalists/songwriters, an unflinching love for the road, and the good fortune to have their fourth album, “One Foot in the Ether,” hit No. 1 on the Americana Music Association’s playlist in late October, just four weeks after its release. TWICE…
Pittsburgh rap duo Grand Buffet mixes it up, serving witty lyricism
On the tongue-in-cheek paean, “Americus (Religious Right Rock),” irrepressible, wiseass rap duo Grand Buffet suggests that, “We think abortion is pretty messed-up / If you don’t want a kid, then don’t be a slut.” Whether heralding that child labor or wondering “who tried to rid the woods of free-thinking dudes who cuss too much and…
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21):
“There’s nothing in a caterpillar that tells you it’s going to be a butterfly,” said philosopher Buckminster Fuller. I encourage you to make that your personal motto in the coming weeks, Scorpio. From what I can tell, you are capable of generating a transformation that will look impossible to casual observers. You have the power…
Newly elected Tulsa council member loses wallet to thief
Well, here’s something you don’t read every day. Christ was arrested on complaints of public intoxication and petty larceny. Here’s the parable, lambs: A newly elected Tulsa City Council member was celebrating her win in downtown Tulsa last week when she noticed Jordan Lee Christ, 26, making off with her wallet, according to the Tulsa…
ARIES (March 21-April 19):
“A chief event of life is the day in which we have encountered a mind that startled us,” wrote Ralph Waldo Emerson. My wish for you, Aries, is that you will have many such days in the coming weeks. In fact, I hope that you will be blessed over and over again with the hair-raising…
Biopic follows struggle of a fashion icon in ‘Coco Before Chanel’
A biopic is kind of like reality TV, but with people you’re actually interested in. It generally involves taking a famous person’s biography, cutting out some of the boring stuff while ignoring other stuff that doesn’t support the story you want to tell, and voila: a movie audiences will pay to see. The film screens…
Kevin Fowler prepares to hitch wagon to higher-horsepower help
Things have come full-circle for country artist Kevin Fowler. When he was a young, long-haired shredder, he got a little taste of the big time, and its sour finish shaped his musical career. Now 17 years later, having built an audience from the ground up, he’s ready to dip his toe in major-label waters again.…
Hochenauer nailed it’
I think Kurt Hochenauer nailed it in “The ‘Obama effect'” (Commentary, Oct. 28, 2009, Gazette). I know several people who openly voted against Barack Obama because he was an African-American. These same people would have voted for Hillary Clinton, had she been nominated. Their votes for John McCain were actually votes against Barack Obama. I’m…
Pittsburgh rap duo Grand Buffet mixes it up, serving witty lyricism
On the tongue-in-cheek paean, “Americus (Religious Right Rock),” irrepressible, wiseass rap duo Grand Buffet suggests that, “We think abortion is pretty messed-up / If you don’t want a kid, then don’t be a slut.” Whether heralding that child labor or wondering “who tried to rid the woods of free-thinking dudes who cuss too much and…
Tracy Reed returns to Oklahoma for two TrEas shows
Going all in on a music career is a frightening proposition, especially if that includes relocating to New York City, but that didn’t stop Tracy Reed from packing up after college and heading east to make a name for herself. Once there, she cast aside some of her more latent pop tendencies in favor of…
Oklahoma City political candidate comes clean on check
There are certain unwritten rules when campaigning for elected office. One of the most important rules is knowing whether you have ever been in trouble with the law. One state Senate candidate found that out, but didn’t feel it was important to inform the voters. Matt Jackson is a Republican candidate for Senate District 30,…
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19):
“There is a saying that when the student is ready, the teacher appears,” writes Clarissa Pinkola Estes in her book Women Who Run with the Wolves. But the magic of that formula may not unfold with smooth simplicity, she says: “The teacher comes when the soul, not the ego, is ready. The teacher comes when…
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22):
I think it’s high time to mess with the tried and true formulas. In order to do the most good for the most people, and to regenerate a wounded and weak part of yourself, you simply must create some cracks in the way things have always been done. You must push beyond your overly safe…
Iconic 66 Bowl celebrates milestone with Wanda Jackson concert
The metro’s landmark bowling alley will close off lanes to make room for Wanda Jackson, the “Queen of Rockabilly” and 2009 inductee to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, on Saturday for 66 Bowl’s 50th anniversary celebration. LANE CROSSER NOSTALGIC FORMS The alley is owned and operated by the Haynes family, who purchased the…
Couple exhibits ‘Two for the Show’ display
They fell in love, got married and eventually began traveling and painting together. Bev and Bob Landdeck share their story with Oklahoma in their new exhibit, “Two for the Show,” at In Your Eye Studio & Gallery, 3005-A Paseo. The Landdecks use watercolor, oils, acrylics and pastels to create different works of art. The concept…
Biopic follows struggle of a fashion icon in ‘Coco Before Chanel’
A biopic is kind of like reality TV, but with people you’re actually interested in. It generally involves taking a famous person’s biography, cutting out some of the boring stuff while ignoring other stuff that doesn’t support the story you want to tell, and voila: a movie audiences will pay to see. The film screens…
GEMINI (May 21-June 20):
Mark, a friend of mine who lives in New Jersey, sent an overnight package via UPS to Jerry, a friend of his who lives 30 miles away in Pennsylvania. The delivery arrived on time, so Mark was happy with the service. But in checking the tracking information online, he discovered a curious thing: His package…
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19):
“There is a saying that when the student is ready, the teacher appears,” writes Clarissa Pinkola Estes in her book Women Who Run with the Wolves. But the magic of that formula may not unfold with smooth simplicity, she says: “The teacher comes when the soul, not the ego, is ready. The teacher comes when…
The All-American Rejects make future plans that may forgo immediate touring return
It’s November, but somewhere in Massachusetts, Mike Kennerty is soaking up some unseasonably summery rays. Just as the warm weather has outlasted its usual tenure this year, even in the northeast, Kennerty and the rest of The All-American Rejects ” Chris Gaylor, Tyson Ritter and Nick Wheeler ” are enjoying their own figurative Indian summer.…
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21):
“Dear Rob: I love to be proven wrong. That’s not an ironic statement. I actually get excited and feel creative when I acquire new information that shows me I’ve been operating under a misunderstanding. One of my very favorite life moments occurs when I am convincingly liberated from a negative opinion I’ve been harboring about…
A Christmas Carol
If “A Christmas Carol” is Disney’s present to holiday moviegoers, I’m tempted to ask for a gift receipt. The motion-capture animation may look nifty “? and ever more so in 3-D “? but the story moves at a glacial pace that tries the patience of all ages. Charles Dickens’ classic tale has been made and…
Oklahoma’s The Flaming Lips produce provocative music video
To steal a title from one of The Flaming Lips’ albums, “Oh My Gawd!!!” For the song “Watching the Planets,” Oklahoma’s own Lips have made quite an eye-catching, eyebrow-raising music video. It’s one of those clips that would be banned from MTV, if MTV still played music. Those easily offended by full-frontal nudity and spherical…
Stillwater’s BrotherBear shares, records more-electronic ideas between college classes
College seems a funny time for rock musicians, where the optimism of your hundred closest high school friends faithfully attending every show dwindles. Dividing time, performers start paying their own bills and find that sometimes a final exam or report has to take precedence over band practice and that having a “real” job means heading…
Questioning progress
After reading Oklahoma Gazette’s recent articles about MAPS 3, I have a question. If we build this third convention center (in addition to the Cox Convention Center and the Ford Center) with MAPS 3 funds, how will future attendees to conventions in this new center get from the airport to downtown? The Burlington Northern Santa…
Sales help support parking system, but long-term questions remain
A call for building additional public parking in downtown Oklahoma City would be easy to make. After all, the system continued to enjoy an occupancy rate of 83 percent in September and has only a quarter of the debt it had less than a year ago. HOW TIMES CHANGED WHY NOT OTHERS? A TIDAL SHIFT…
Pirate Radio
cheesy moments keep “Pirate Radio” from being a real buccaneer, especially repeated scenes of “everyday” listeners ashore who hang on every word, their mundane lives rocked by each broadcast, and the fist-shaking dad-like minister who wants desperately to ruin everyone’s party. This “Pirate” bears bounty; it’s just a bit too buried. “?Joe Wertz
Iron Man: Armored Adventures ” Volume 1
for his African-American best friend, Rhodey. In these half-dozen adventures, the guys match wits and fists with a variety of villains. A retelling of Iron Man’s origin comes first (only with, y’know, 16-year-olds). Look for Whiplash “? to be played by Mickey Rourke in “Iron Man 2” “? as a foe in a later episode.…
