Recurring Themes
Least Competent Criminals: Michael Mahoney, 25, is the most recent rapist (according to police in Somerville, Mass.) to believe he is such hot stuff that he gave his phone number to the victim, certain that he had charmed her into wanting to keep seeing him. Police quickly arrested him in July at home, where he…
Undignified Deaths
A 21-year-old man fishing off Jones Beach on New York’s Long Island in July was killed when he yanked his line back too quickly, propelling his 3-ounce lead sinker out of the water, where it struck his head and penetrated his brain. A 32-year-old man lounging beside a pool in Leland, N.C., in August was…
Fine Points of the Law
Joey Bergamine, 19, who is preparing for a re-trial in Fayetteville, N.C., on a DUI charge stemming from a July 2007 incident, will argue that he should have been advised of his right to have a lawyer present when his father kicked open his bedroom door hours after the incident to help police officers who…
The Continuing Crisis
The Nebraska legislature’s new “safe haven” law for unwanted babies, like other states’ laws, allows them to be dropped off anonymously at hospitals to discourage abortions (and neglect by unfit parents). However, unlike other states’ laws, Nebraska’s applies not just to infants, but “minors,” because, said Sen. Tom White, “All children deserve our protection.” In…
The Weirdo-American Community
Barbie’s Not Just a Girls’ Obsession: Robert Martin, 47, was arrested in Cape May, N.J., in July after a State Police officer spotted an array of pornographic magazines in his car in a public parking lot, along with a serving platter resting on his dashboard, piled with women’s underwear, and a collection of naked Barbie…
High School Flashback Collection
2008 There’s no point in having me review the three movies that comprise the “High School Flashback Collection” DVD box set: “Sixteen Candles,” “The Breakfast Club” and “Weird Science.” After all, you know them, you love them, you’ve no doubt seen them more times than there are words in this review. If you loved John…
Forgetting Sarah Marshall
2008 All that praise that was geared toward directed Judd Apatow’s flabby guy comedy “Knocked Up” last year was more deserved by one he merely produced: “Forgetting Sarah Marshall.” Long an underrated performer, writer and star Jason Segel (TV’s “Undeclared” and “How I Met Your Mother”) outshines Seth Rogen by a mile in the real-guy…
Cultural Diversity
“In many ways,” reported the Los Angeles Times in August, the Torajans of Indonesia’s Sulawesi Island “spend a lifetime preparing for their demise,” in that the most glorious highlight of their existence appears to be planning the elaborate celebration of the end of it. In fact, taking one’s last breath is only the beginning of…
Choke
Reviewer’s grade: C- Sam Rockwell stars as Victor Mancini, a 30-something who works as a guide at a reconstructed colonial village. His best friend Denny (Brad William Henke) works with him and they both have the same two problems “? their boss, Lord High Charlie (Clark Gregg, who also wrote the script and directed), who…
Norman club hosts a retro-styled game show
The Opolis, Norman’s little hallway that could, is adding another facet to its steadily growing repertoire with its first-ever “Game Night,” a hodgepodge of classic game shows punched up with a little local flair. “When we first opened the Opolis, the original idea was to do more than just music,” said club owner and Starlight…
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20)
Blessings will come if you cultivate as much stillness as possible. I’m not just talking about reducing the noise levels, although that’s a good first step. Other things you might want to do: Cut way down on your use of the phone; text-message sparingly; surf the Internet 70 percent less than usual; avoid watching TV…
Fantasy football allows would-be team owners to play out gridiron-based dreams
The room is quiet, except for the shuffling of papers. It’s hot. It’s humid. And everyone is just waiting “¦ waiting “¦ waiting. Finally, the silence is broken. “I’ll, uh “¦ I’ll take Rudi Johnson.” ANDREW GILMANTRAVIS SUMMERSMATT ALLENKEN PLETZ JR.MATT DAVENPORT Suddenly, the room is alive with the sound of pens scribbling and keyboards…
State, OU form partnership on pedestrian walkways
Ronnie Neal only saw a brief flash of the vehicle that nearly killed him last year. Neal was a deputy for the Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Department, patrolling the streets on a motorcycle alongside his partner when a vehicle turned across traffic, trying to merge into a tight space between cars. Neal didn’t see the vehicle…
Welcome to corporate socialism
I never thought I would agree with Tom Coburn or Jim Inhofe on anything, but this is a bailout, not a rescue. It should come as no surprise that the same crowd that rushed us to war over nonexistent weapons of mass destruction would now be saying, “Trust us, $700 billion is all we need…
Austin’s red-dirt Bart Crow Band rolls into Bricktown
Bart Crow and the rest of the red-dirt ramblers in his band seem to realize that one of the most direct paths to musical success within the genre lies along the well-worn road known as Interstate 35. Or perhaps to put it another way, as the Crow flies. ARMY STINTSACCHARINE TITLE “Right now, I’m learning…
Impossible – Nancy Werlin
Dial Books Despite the ambiguous, not exactly eye-catching title, “Impossible” is a well-written, layered novel. Inspired by “Scarborough Fair,” the ballad made famous in modern times by Simon & Garfunkel, “Impossible” follows Lucy, the last in a line of women of the Scarborough family. An ancient curse, set in motion generations ago when a young…
The Visitor
2008 Richard Jenkins is one of those dependable character actors you see several times a year, and when you do, you know his face, but never remember just what other movies you’ve seen him in. In “The Visitor,” Jenkins has the lead. He plays Walter, a university professor in Connecticut. He’s teaching just one class…
Sooners back on top in college football as OSU climbs
Guess who’s back on top? Here’s a hint: No other team in the history of college football has held the No. 1 spot in the Associated Press poll longer. Notre Dame? Good guess, but no. Alabama? Nope. Keep trying. Texas? Puh-leeezzzzze. Try thinking a little closer to home. That’s right: The University of Oklahoma, home…
Wanda Jackson, the All-America Rejects makes halls of fame
Legendary vocalist Wanda Jackson was nominated for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame last week, along with eight other bands and performers, including pioneering Eighties rap act Run-DMC, English rock guitarist Jeff Beck, heavy metal’s Metallica and punk band The Stooges. The Oklahoma native dated Elvis Presley and is known as the “Queen of…
Karate club uses martial arts to arm at-risk children
Who knew that karate, an ancient martial art that teaches self-defense, is based in peace? Its philosophy, which is to build a more peaceful world, begins with the student. Daryl Arrowood, a fourth-degree black belt, started the Oklahoma Youth Karate Club Inc. to give at-risk and disadvantaged youth the opportunity to learn martial arts. The…
Eagle Eye
Reviewer’s grade: C There’s nothing inherently wrong with wildly implausible thrillers. Hell, Alfred Hitchcock made a pretty swell living out of tickling the underbelly of absurd premises. But cinematic goofiness is tough to pull off without the commensurate amount of winking at the audience, and ” Eagle Eye” is one eye desperately in need of…
Former Oklahoma governor airs VP grievances in book
For a guy who was known to let fly pretty much with any thought that crossed his mind, former Gov. Frank Keating sure took a while to get around to letting us know how things went down when he was on the short list to be Bush’s veep. But that’s what he’s done in a…
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22)
“New ideas show up disguised innocently as interruptions, contradictions, and embarrassing dilemmas,” says motivational speaker Rob Lebow. “Beware of total strangers and friends alike who shower you with comfortable sameness, and remain open to those who make you uneasy, for they are the true messengers of the future.” That excellent advice is my birthday present…
Cool grandmother
Angela Pusateri, 79, may be unconventional, but, according to Jenna, 13, “She really is a cool grandmother.” The Hallandale Beach, Fla., woman is a rap-music singer with a new CD (“Who’s Your Granny?”) and occasional playdates, where she shows up in hockey jersey, jewels, sunglasses and baseball cap. Sample rap: “I can bring the noise…
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)
Robert Downey Jr. is grateful to Burger King for serving him such gross food. After eating a particularly foul meal there in 2003, he told Empire magazine, he was so disgusted that he drove to the beach and hurled all of his drugs into the sea. It was the shock he needed to begin the…
Oklahoma Rising?: Part five, Children dying
State pride swelled and the nation took notice as Oklahoma celebrated its first 100 years in 2007. After sweeping up the confetti, our state embarks on a new century invigorated with promise and hope. While the state leads the nation in many respects, Oklahomans face significant hurdles that continue to challenge our spirit and resolve.…
Halloween culture conference celebrates things that go bump in the night
Ghosts and ghouls will be haunting Oklahoma City a few weeks early this year as Halloween enthusiasts flock to the fan conference spooktacular, TrickConTreat. Organizers have crammed in so many elements of Halloween into the three-day festival conference that the event will be busting at the seams with creepy culture fanatics. B-MOVIE THEMECOSTUME CONTEST “We…
Norman filmmakers unite to fill void of Oklahoma films
Vacant Era’s youthful board of directors bristled with bold ideas, defiant optimism and caffeine as they took over Norman’s Winans Fine Chocolate & Coffees one Sunday morning in September. The group was overcoming sleep deprivation at a planning meeting to discuss the inaugural Vacant Era Film Festival, which opens Thursday and runs through Sunday. With…
Oklahoma City’s Luma steers darker, melodic experiment as Fires of Atlas
Historically, the music industry is filled with bands that refuse to develop slowly and smolder away like the embers of a late night bonfire. For the members of the metro band formerly known as Luma, music is a story of evolution. MAKE A CHANGEVARIETY OF STYLES A jam session brought Luma together in 2005, and…
CFN Quote of the Week
“And I also need to give credit to Republican Sen. Tom Coburn, who had called me, suggesting that a joint statement might be useful.” “Barack Obama, from his Sept. 24 statement on the economy and the Sept. 26 debate, according to The Associated Press
I Did It My Way and … It Worked!: Redefining the Art of Entrepreneurship – Colleen J. Payne-Nabors
Yorkshire Publishing Tulsan Colleen J. Payne-Nabors wasn’t named the state’s 2007 Small Business Person of the Year for nothing. In less than 10 years, she has taken the mobile medical service company she founded on a borrowed $90,000 into a company with annual sales exceeding $3 million. How’d she do it? Glad you asked! Her…
The Classen becomes first complex on recycling pickup route
Directly south of Oklahoma City’s landmark Gold Dome stands another eye-catching architectural wonder, extending 20 stories into the sky: The Classen Luxury Apartments. The Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired, hexagonal high-rise building boasts tennis and basketball courts, 24-hour concierge service and gorgeously decorated, angular penthouses, all to bring class and pizzazz to 2200 N. Classen in every…
The Village hosts pet parade, adoption drive
It’s a dog-meet-dog world. Pack up your pooch and head to The Village for “A Dog Walk in the Park,” a fund-raiser, pet parade and adoption drive for metro mutts and local hound handlers. The 9 a.m. Saturday event features a 1.5-mile dog walk that starts at Duffner Park, 1434 Duffner, and winds its way…
University of Oklahoma Lab Theatre offers up a triple shot of chaos in ‘Life x 3’
The University of Oklahoma School of Drama Lab Theatre presents “Life x 3” by French playwright Yasmina Reza, translated by Christopher Hampton. The play tells the story of a disastrous dinner party hosted by a young astrophysicist named Henry who is looking to impress his superior, Hubert, in the hopes of earning a promotion. All…
OCU Theater goes Wilde with its production of ‘The Importance of Being Earnest’
auto 0in”>To this day, the play persists as one of the greatest comedy of manners in the English language. The plot follows the exploits of two gentlemen, Jack Worthing and Algernon Moncrieff, in 1890s England. The pair live double lives “? one in the city and another in the country “? and have a common…
Arkansas concedes it will never be able to compete with Oklahoma
Here is a phrase you don’t often hear (outside of football, that is). “We’re never going to be able to compete with Oklahoma.” Usually, it’s Oklahoma officials and business leaders crying for the state to change the way it does, whatever it is it does, so that we can compete with other states. Hardly a…
Web site combines social networking with savvy fashion sense
Any girl who has seen the movie “Clueless” can understand the significance and novelty of having a virtual closet like Alicia Silverstone’s character. Rather than wander into her Beverly Hills-sized walk-in closet, she could simply surf a digital version of her wardrobe with a flick of the finger. Finding the perfect outfit for whatever occasion…
Iron Man
2008 Despite being one of the unlikeliest actors in Hollywood to headline a comic-book franchise, Robert Downey Jr.’s hiring for “Iron Man” turns out to be pitch-perfect casting. He plays Tony Stark, a ridiculously wealthy industrialist, as arrogant as he is capitalist, who somehow manages to bank billions in the high-tech weaponry game when he’s…
Paseo gallery opens three new exhibits
A Friday reception will mark the opening of three new exhibits at JRB Art at The Elms. Narrative art from Denise Duong, ceramic works by Matt Seikel and mixed-media masks by Patrick Riley will be debuted from 6-10 p.m. at the gallery, located at 2810 N. Walker. Duong typically paints and collages her characteristically whimsical…
Latest Religious Messages
Toward a More Accessible Anglican Church: In August, Birmingham Cathedral announced plans to open a series of wine bars in London, as (according to an official) one of the “alternative ways” of engaging non-church-goers. The new church curate in Dursley, Gloustershire, is Rev. Skye Denno, 29, a married mother of two, whose down time is…
OCU’s Meinders School of Business hosts buddhist conference
Buddhists from around Oklahoma will gather at Meinders School of Business on the Oklahoma City University campus Friday evening and all-day Saturday for the 10th annual Oklahoma Buddhist Conference. The event is open to the public. Maurice Hoover, co-chair of the conference planning committee, said the conference is not just for Buddhists. “Everyone is welcome,”…
Putting first responders first
More than anything else, governing is about setting priorities. Oklahoma Republicans got it right in the past few years when we started pushing the state government to “Fund Education First.” We recognize that the long-term health of our state ” socially, economically, culturally ” is dependent on a well-educated citizenry. Further, we recognize that in…
Gallery displays Pulitzer Prize-winning political cartoonist’s works
A metro gallery is showcasing illustrations created by Pulitzer Prize-winning political cartoonist Mike Luckovich. Luckovich has worked for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution since 1989, where in 1995 and 2006, he won the Pulitzer for editorial cartooning. His work is syndicated and regularly reprinted in publications like The Washington Post, Time and Newsweek. The cartoonist’s illustrations are…
Oklahoma State benefactor T. Boone Pickens’ hedge funds take hit
A couple of days after Brad Henry and Mick Cornett endorsed the “Pickens Plan,” the wind came out of T. Boone Pickens’ sails last week. T. Boone saw his hedge funds that focus on energy stocks drop nearly 30 percent while a smaller, commodity-based fund was off 84 percent, according to a Sept. 24 article…
American Indians fighting HIV/AIDS face two obstacles
eople asking people in their church to come and then asking people at their work or school, to attend,” said Rachel Crawford, who worked as AAIP’s HIV/AIDS core capacity trainer. “We offered them gifts to lure them in.” HOMESPUN COALITIONSSince Oklahoma City and Tulsa are the two most populated areas in the state for HIV/AIDS…
Dinosaur King: The Adventure Begins
2008 “Dinosaur King” is essentially a prehistoric “Pok
The Godfather: The Coppola Restoration
2008 You know those few history-making films that should be in any DVD collection, like your “Star Wars” and your “Citizen Kane”? “The Godfather” should be among them, and Paramount’s glorious, new “Coppola Restoration” box set gives you all the more reason to do so. Although all three films in the series have been available…
