Recurring Themes
Britain’s local councils are notoriously fearful of lawsuits arising from the garden “allotments” they rent to residents. For example, in September, the Southampton Council barred residents of recently vandalized property from installing barbed wire, lest a trespasser get hurt and sue. Meanwhile, in Michigan, Scott Zeilinski, who is serving eight years in prison for armed…
Least Competent Criminals
Failure to Keep a Low Profile: Angel DeLeon, 30, admitted to police in May that he was the one who had just robbed the National Penn Bank in Reading, Pa. Police originally started after DeLeon’s car when he raced by them with his radio blaring. Ricky Dale Ford was jailed in September in Conway, Ark.,…
Least Competent Criminals
Failure to Keep a Low Profile: Angel DeLeon, 30, admitted to police in May that he was the one who had just robbed the National Penn Bank in Reading, Pa. Police originally started after DeLeon’s car when he raced by them with his radio blaring. Ricky Dale Ford was jailed in September in Conway, Ark.,…
Undignified Deaths
Ironies: A 77-year-old woman in Heaton Mersey, England, who was described by friends as an enthusiastic shopper whose home was crammed to the ceiling with purchases, died in January of natural causes, but rescuers made five passes through the clutter before locating her body under stacks of goods that had fallen on her. A 45-year-old…
Undignified Deaths
Ironies: A 77-year-old woman in Heaton Mersey, England, who was described by friends as an enthusiastic shopper whose home was crammed to the ceiling with purchases, died in January of natural causes, but rescuers made five passes through the clutter before locating her body under stacks of goods that had fallen on her. A 45-year-old…
Recurring Themes
Britain’s local councils are notoriously fearful of lawsuits arising from the garden “allotments” they rent to residents. For example, in September, the Southampton Council barred residents of recently vandalized property from installing barbed wire, lest a trespasser get hurt and sue. Meanwhile, in Michigan, Scott Zeilinski, who is serving eight years in prison for armed…
Fine Points of the Law
Marine Sgt. Michael Ferschke was killed in Iraq in 2008, but his wife and their son, both Japanese citizens, cannot enter the United States. The couple exchanged vows under Japanese law by long-distance proxy, as Michael was about to deploy, but immigration law does not recognize such unions, unless subsequently “consummated.” (The Ferschkes had conceived…
Fetishes on Parade
In September, police in Bonney Lake, Wash., were seeking “Dale,” who had been reported hanging around the high school, trying to befriend male athletes. In the most recent incident, he lured a boy to the library, offering help on a term paper project, but when the boy declined and walked away, “Dale” jumped on his…
Bright Ideas
Canadian medical appliance manufacturer X4 Labs, which sells a penis-elongating traction device for around $400, disclosed in August that it is making a solid gold version on contract for a Saudi businessman. The buyer claimed he required gold only because of allergies, but then also ordered it ornamented with diamonds and rubies, according to an…
Friday the 13th: The Series ” The Final Season
t is amiable enough, especially Robey and her big “¦ er, hair. There’s plenty of supernatural stories here to keep you busy for several weekends, and be sure to opt to watch them with their original episode promos turned on. They’re a joyous reminder of staying up late on weekends to catch the show “¦…
Fine Points of the Law
Marine Sgt. Michael Ferschke was killed in Iraq in 2008, but his wife and their son, both Japanese citizens, cannot enter the United States. The couple exchanged vows under Japanese law by long-distance proxy, as Michael was about to deploy, but immigration law does not recognize such unions, unless subsequently “consummated.” (The Ferschkes had conceived…
Fetishes on Parade
In September, police in Bonney Lake, Wash., were seeking “Dale,” who had been reported hanging around the high school, trying to befriend male athletes. In the most recent incident, he lured a boy to the library, offering help on a term paper project, but when the boy declined and walked away, “Dale” jumped on his…
Bright Ideas
Canadian medical appliance manufacturer X4 Labs, which sells a penis-elongating traction device for around $400, disclosed in August that it is making a solid gold version on contract for a Saudi businessman. The buyer claimed he required gold only because of allergies, but then also ordered it ornamented with diamonds and rubies, according to an…
Staunton Hill
2009 As the man behind the “Night of the Living Dead” movies, George A. Romero knows horror. But you cannot trust him for a second about his opinion of “Staunton Hill,” which he describes on the cover as “as scary as it gets.” Why not? Two reasons: 1. “Staunton Hill” is directed by his son,…
Fables: The Deluxe Edition
is an excellent starting point, collecting the initial 10 issues in hardback for the first time. The gist of the series is that characters from storybooks, nursery rhymes, legends and myths are real, and they live unbeknownst to us in a section of New York City called Fabletown, where they live under their own government.…
Superman/Batman: Public Enemies
2009 Before Warner Bros. decided to show you how Batman began, it almost greenlit “Batman vs. Superman” for the big screen. Unless that ever comes to pass, “Superman/Batman: Public Enemies” is as close as you’re going to get to having these two together in a feature-length film. And it’ll do. Based on DC Comics’ popular…
College game day is a party but schools remain cautious where they allow alcohol
If television commercials can be believed, then beer and football are as inseparable as hamburgers and french fries. But as thirsty fans pack into the stands of their favorite college team, they might have to go to great lengths to find alcohol to enhance the game-day experience. SEDATE ATMOSPHERE DRY FIELD Unlike professional sports, college…
Capitalism: A Love Story
In “Capitalism: A Love Story,” documentarian Michael Moore (“Sicko”) attempts an examination of capitalism, which he claims is the root of America’s evils. According to Moore, unfettered capitalism breeds greed and heartlessness, and has resulted in the wealthiest 1 percent of Americans controlling more property and money than the lowest 95 percent combined. Moore argues…
Uneven performances keep Jewel Box’s murder mystery on life support
Based on the novel by Agatha Christie, “And Then There Were None” tells the story of 10 strangers lured to an isolated island home off the coast of England, by a mysterious stranger known as Mr. Owen. In a prerecorded message, Owen accuses each of the strangers of being guilty of murders for which they…
Questionable Judgments
The cheap-drink Tuesday night special at the Attic bar in Newcastle, England, in early September was a money-back guarantee at the end of the night to anyone who could still legally drive (measured by the bar’s breathalyzer), with the evening’s most-alcohol-saturated customer drinking free the following week. The Newcastle City Council soon convinced the bar…
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22):
The sun shines brighter on my new home. The old place had resemblances to a cave and was surrounded by tall trees. My new space is surrounded by a wide sky and drinks in the solar radiance from dawn to dusk. As you might expect, my 15 plants need to drink a lot more than…
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20):
“Dear Rob: Help! I have a sinking feeling that the man I love and want to be with for the rest of my life is almost but not quite courageous enough to be truly and deeply intimate with me. What should I do? -Downcast Piscean.” Dear Downcast: Ask yourself if there’s anything you can change…
New gallery opens in Plaza District
A new gallery focused on local artists opens its doors from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday in the Plaza District. The parts&labor gallery, 1710 N.W. 16th, will display and promote local art, and sell vintage clothes and gift items. Event coordinator Camden Maxwell said she and owner Travis Pickett have several ideas on how to…
Latest Religious Messages
David Cerullo came to prominence after purchasing the television studios abandoned by Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker and established what is perhaps the boldest of all Christian “prosperity gospel” ministries (that pays him an annual base salary of $1.52 million). With his father, semi-retired Pentecostal preacher Morris Cerullo, they assure followers that the more they…
What’s the Matter with Kansas?
le. The documentary begins with the assumption that there is something wrong directly north of our border, and the assumed wrong is that Kansas is just too politically and religiously conservative for the good of its citizens. You may or may not believe that.There is no narration to drive your opinions; the entire film is…
Zombieland
What the hell is so funny about zombies? They have terrible table manners, ripping out flesh and gizzards and stuff with their teeth. And they never floss. They never wash their clothes, despite being constantly covered with blood and whatever that nasty liquid is that keeps draining from their mouths. Plus, they’re dead and won’t…
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18):
Let’s imagine that an independent filmmaker has been following you around, gathering footage for a movie based on the story of your life. This week he or she would face a dilemma. That’s because unexpected new sub-plots may arise, veering off in directions that seem to be far afield from the core themes. The acting…
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19):
John, a colleague of mine, is a skillful psychotherapist. His father is in a similar occupation, psychoanalysis. If you ask John whether his dad gave him a good understanding of the human psyche while he was growing up, John quotes the old maxim: “The shoemaker’s son has no shoes.” Is there any comparable theme in…
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20):
“Dear Rob: Help! I have a sinking feeling that the man I love and want to be with for the rest of my life is almost but not quite courageous enough to be truly and deeply intimate with me. What should I do? -Downcast Piscean.” Dear Downcast: Ask yourself if there’s anything you can change…
Metro area hosts first competitive Scrabble tournament in more than 20 years
In the cutthroat world of competitive Scrabble, Moore resident Matthew Hodge is the top player from Oklahoma, currently ranked 32nd in the country. He’s been playing official tournaments for eight years, but none in his own hometown. “There hasn’t been a tournament in Oklahoma City in over two decades,” Hodge said. So he started one.…
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21):
Amazingly enough, the good deeds you do in the next 21 days could alone qualify you for a permanent exemption from hell. It seems God has cooked up some imminent tests that will give you a chance to garner some ridiculously sublime karma. What’s that you say? You don’t believe in either God or hell?…
Cash-strapped college kids find refuge in thrift stores
Some think of thrift stores as a last option of shopping, but hundreds of resale shops in Oklahoma are becoming more lucrative, offering not only affordable options in clothing and items, but a quality experience as well. As more people aim to cut expenses, thrift stores are experiencing a renaissance in popularity, especially with youth…
Whip It
flick. “Whip It” is nothing you haven’t seen before, but the dramedy is feisty, charming and beautifully acted. Ellen Page (“Smart People”) is Bliss Cavendar, a 17-year-old waitress languishing in small-town Bodeen, Texas. She yearns for more out of life, but doesn’t know what, except that it doesn’t include the beauty pageants she is forced…
Those Darlins combine country wit, pop melody and rock democracy
It’s easy to love Those Darlins, and not just because of the three lovely ladies who front the band. They possess a bristling verve and winning melodicism that combines the muscular rhythms of punk, girl-group harmonies and the foot-tapping twang of classic country with a keen sense of humor. The trio ” Nikki, Kelley and…
Online learning finds its place among traditional universities
Advertisements for online degree programs are springing up everywhere. It’s becoming more difficult to discern which programs provide a genuine education from those that let you print out your diploma after paying a small fee. BOOST THEIR EDUCATION STEPPED UP THE QUALITY Generally, there are two perspectives on these programs. One camp views them as…
Turn it up a notch, forget another weekend of bar-hopping
When tests and term papers get the best of your insanity, break away from the books with a bit of the extreme. KAYAKING PAINTBALL SKYDIVING There’s no need to exist on overpriced movies and walks in the park when legit adventures serve up weekend recreation that will keep your excitement engine on overdrive. KAYAKING Although…
The Rum Fellows – Okie Maritime Music For the Landlocked Pirate
With nary a sea in sight, The Rum Fellows still set sail. On deck with the Norman pirate septet: singer/guitarist Charley Reeves, fiddle player Kent Graber, banjo player Dan Edwards, mandolin player Randy Lewis, bassist Jeff Richardson, percussionist Doyle Dodd and concertina player Amber Vallee’ all quick to abandon posts for a swim in the…
Oklahoma City radio personality takes band-loving heat
Continuing the “College Town” theme in this week’s Chicken-Fried News, you gotta give it up to “The Ultimate,” Jim Traber. The WWLS sports personality has taken some shots for going out on a limb in the past, but now some Stillwater folks think he’s really crossed the line. Traber, a former Major League Baseball player…
Student Film expands cast, releases most challenging production to date
Giving up the dream of rock stardom might seem the logical end to any band, but for one of the metro’s most cerebral indie acts, Student Film, that realization marked a new beginning. OFF-KILTER BRAND OF ROCK CHANGING CONDITION “It’s been easier ” way easier,” said multi-instrumentalist Zac Davis. “Once you get over these grandiose…
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21):
In 1968, Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn finished his book The Gulag Archipelago, a scorching indictment of the oppression that he and his countrymen suffered under the totalitarian regime of the Soviet Union. Banned for years, it was never formally published in his home country until 1989. Even after that, the new Russian government tried to control the…
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21):
In 1968, Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn finished his book The Gulag Archipelago, a scorching indictment of the oppression that he and his countrymen suffered under the totalitarian regime of the Soviet Union. Banned for years, it was never formally published in his home country until 1989. Even after that, the new Russian government tried to control the…
ARIES (March 21-April 19):
The poet Stephen Mallarmé wrote the following in a letter to a friend: “I don’t know which of my internal climates I should explore in order to find you and meet you.” I love that passage. It alludes to one of the central facts about the nature of reality: The quality of your consciousness is…
Oklahoma City University screens film on unsolved Chinese disaster
Americans tend to focus completely on what’s happening here and often overlook other countries that are struggling to catch up to the technological lifestyle we live every day. Filmmaker Jia Zhang-ke brings attention to this issue by focusing on a disaster in China that remains unsolved. Oklahoma City University, 2501 N. Blackwelder, continues its “This…
Author John Grisham to speak at Oklahoma City University’s legal clinic’s launch
Greg Wilhoit, whose story of wrongful conviction and incarceration on Oklahoma’s death row was told by John Grisham in his 2006 book “The Innocent Man,” now lives in Sacramento, Calif. He is on full Social Security Disability Insurance, and despite being acquitted in a second trial, has never received any compensation from the state of…
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22):
The sun shines brighter on my new home. The old place had resemblances to a cave and was surrounded by tall trees. My new space is surrounded by a wide sky and drinks in the solar radiance from dawn to dusk. As you might expect, my 15 plants need to drink a lot more than…
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18):
Let’s imagine that an independent filmmaker has been following you around, gathering footage for a movie based on the story of your life. This week he or she would face a dilemma. That’s because unexpected new sub-plots may arise, veering off in directions that seem to be far afield from the core themes. The acting…
Club sports are where college athletes truly play for love of game
Don’t let multimillion-dollar training complexes, massive football stadiums and national television exposure fool you: College athletic programs don’t come with an endless pool of finances. FLOCK TO THE SCHOOL ULTIMATE FRISBEE Only so many varsity sports can be supported, but there is nothing to stop a motivated college athlete from cobbling a club team together,…
Students can keep dreaded ‘freshman 15′ at bay using schools’ fitness centers
College can be rough on the waistline. Dining halls offering all-you-can-eat options, late-night study slams with pizza, and parties with alcohol can all mean added pounds to the average college student. REGULAR EATING SCHEDULE CARDIOVASCULAR WORKOUT EXTRACURRICULAR OPTIONS The Nutrition Journal recently published weighty facts: 23 percent of freshmen will gain an average of 10…
WTF? College: How to Survive 101 of Campus’s Worst F*#!-ing Situations – Gregory Bergman and Jodi Miller
Adams Media Few books for the student body come cruder than “WTF? College,” a collegiate-themed semi-sequel to comedian Gregory Bergman’s 2008 release, “WTF?” Both aim to dish out advice on getting through the tough spots in life “? in this case, all the ones on campus. For example, clogging your dorm floor’s toilet (never flush…
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19):
John, a colleague of mine, is a skillful psychotherapist. His father is in a similar occupation, psychoanalysis. If you ask John whether his dad gave him a good understanding of the human psyche while he was growing up, John quotes the old maxim: “The shoemaker’s son has no shoes.” Is there any comparable theme in…
GEMINI (May 21-June 20):
“Dear Rob: Thanks for being a continued source of careful thinking! With the help of you and the rather ruthless teachers who are my friends and loved ones, I’m learning the lessons that are most important for me to learn — like how rigorous I have to be in figuring out my intentions, how impeccable…
Turn it up a notch, forget another weekend of bar-hopping
When tests and term papers get the best of your insanity, break away from the books with a bit of the extreme. KAYAKING PAINTBALL SKYDIVING There’s no need to exist on overpriced movies and walks in the park when legit adventures serve up weekend recreation that will keep your excitement engine on overdrive. KAYAKING Although…
Collection of paintings highlights influential 17th-century Dutch painters
t’s how our gallery was founded.” As a condition of the donation, the art had to be made available to the public, making the Dulwich Picture Gallery the oldest purpose-built public art gallery in England. Although the Dutch Italianates may have fallen out of art collecting fashion, they had such an enormous influence on the…
The Cimarron Alliance celebrates Gay History Month with inaugural event
The Cimarron Alliance Foundation, a nonprofit representing the LGBT community, is holding its inaugural Gay History Month Gala Friday at the Oklahoma History Center, 2401 N. Laird. The event will include an awards ceremony to recognize individuals helping further gay rights. Michael Bratcher, a spokesperson for the Cimarron Alliance, said the organization’s board chose the recipients…
Show spirit with a shirt or two
It’s tough to toss out a proper sideline cheer when game-day duds are more disaster than dazzling. Don’t arrive at this year’s big showdown in a tired tee from seasons past. Instead, take a nod from these rah-rah options, and march to the stands in a festive ensemble sure to help clench the title for…
Cash-strapped college kids find refuge in thrift stores
Some think of thrift stores as a last option of shopping, but hundreds of resale shops in Oklahoma are becoming more lucrative, offering not only affordable options in clothing and items, but a quality experience as well. As more people aim to cut expenses, thrift stores are experiencing a renaissance in popularity, especially with youth…
U2 visit to University of Oklahoma brings in a cool half million dollars
The University of Oklahoma doesn’t need a successful football team to make money. Just bring in the biggest rock ‘n’ roll band in the world. A story from the Tulsa World reports OU will rake in at least $500,000 when legendary Irish rock band U2 performs at the Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium on Oct.…
OU students take studying on road for summer, semester or year of education abroad
Like many students at the University of Oklahoma, Shannon English started the fall semester of 2006 with a full course load: linguistics, history, international relations and a foreign language. Unlike her fellow OU students, however, English didn’t spend her down time tailgating. Instead, she caught an outdoor concert by Andrea Bocelli in St. Petersburg’s Palace…
Lost Tapes
2008-2009 I give Animal Planet points for acknowledging cryptozoological creatures in its series ” Lost Tapes,” the first season of which is now available on DVD, even if the execution leaves something to be desired. In purported home-video footage (but acknowledged as fiction by the show), we see Average Joes and Jills encounter nature’s mistakes…
Swedish musicians The Sounds return to America
Where would music be without youthful exuberance and naïveté? Frequently, it’s that pie-eyed innocence that allows a band to push through all obstacles with the enthusiasm of one who doesn’t know any better. If musicians ever had a better grasp of what they were signing up for, we might never have heard a band like…
Oklahoma man faces charges stemming from horse, police officer skirmish
Watch out, folks, Mr. Ed has been trained to attack. According to an Associated Press report, a 39-year-old Ottawa County man is facing assault charges after he allegedly tried to run down a police officer on horseback. The police affidavit reports that the coppers visited the man’s home last weekend to investigate a domestic violence…
Las Vegas Strip
Beneath the luxury hotels on the Las Vegas Strip is a series of flood tunnels that are home to dozens of people who work odd jobs such as hustling leftover change in casino slot machines. A correspondent for London’s The Sun gained the trust of a few and even photographed their “apartments” for a September…
Oklahoma City University screens film on unsolved Chinese disaster
Americans tend to focus completely on what’s happening here and often overlook other countries that are struggling to catch up to the technological lifestyle we live every day. Filmmaker Jia Zhang-ke brings attention to this issue by focusing on a disaster in China that remains unsolved. Oklahoma City University, 2501 N. Blackwelder, continues its “This…
Drunk: A Comic About Bar Stories – Michael Ogilvie, Sean Russell and Michael Todoran, editors
Those whose social life centers around the magic elixir of alcohol have their share of bar stories. Now there’s a whole illustrated collection of them in “Drunk,” a limited-edition hardcover available online. Forego your bartender tips to buy one. Most of the 25 contributing artists are unknowns, but a couple of names may catch the…
Swedish musicians The Sounds return to America
Where would music be without youthful exuberance and naïveté? Frequently, it’s that pie-eyed innocence that allows a band to push through all obstacles with the enthusiasm of one who doesn’t know any better. If musicians ever had a better grasp of what they were signing up for, we might never have heard a band like…
ARIES (March 21-April 19):
The poet Stephen Mallarmé wrote the following in a letter to a friend: “I don’t know which of my internal climates I should explore in order to find you and meet you.” I love that passage. It alludes to one of the central facts about the nature of reality: The quality of your consciousness is…
Frontier City offers ghastly tradition with FrightFest
This month, Frontier City offers more than just log rides and roller coasters, and you’ll want to bring a friend to hold on to for this ghastly tradition. FrightFest begins Friday with Halloween-themed rides, shows and attractions, and 20,000 pieces of candy for kids. Located at 11501 N.E. Expressway, the theme park is debuting a…
OU students take studying on road for summer, semester or year of education abroad
Like many students at the University of Oklahoma, Shannon English started the fall semester of 2006 with a full course load: linguistics, history, international relations and a foreign language. Unlike her fellow OU students, however, English didn’t spend her down time tailgating. Instead, she caught an outdoor concert by Andrea Bocelli in St. Petersburg’s Palace…
A New York printmaker unveils installation in Norman
culpture contains works representing each religion’s traditional prayer icons, such as Jesus and Buddha. The sixth space will frame the viewer and a mirror. Projected onto fabric above the sculpture are digital images Buxton called “electric sheep,” which emerge, disappear and reproduce. He said the dynamic fabric projections direct “energy” back to the canvases. The…
GEMINI (May 21-June 20):
“Dear Rob: Thanks for being a continued source of careful thinking! With the help of you and the rather ruthless teachers who are my friends and loved ones, I’m learning the lessons that are most important for me to learn — like how rigorous I have to be in figuring out my intentions, how impeccable…
Oklahoma man faces charges stemming from horse, police officer skirmish
Watch out, folks, Mr. Ed has been trained to attack. According to an Associated Press report, a 39-year-old Ottawa County man is facing assault charges after he allegedly tried to run down a police officer on horseback. The police affidavit reports that the coppers visited the man’s home last weekend to investigate a domestic violence…
Las Vegas Strip
Beneath the luxury hotels on the Las Vegas Strip is a series of flood tunnels that are home to dozens of people who work odd jobs such as hustling leftover change in casino slot machines. A correspondent for London’s The Sun gained the trust of a few and even photographed their “apartments” for a September…
Show spirit with a shirt or two
It’s tough to toss out a proper sideline cheer when game-day duds are more disaster than dazzling. Don’t arrive at this year’s big showdown in a tired tee from seasons past. Instead, take a nod from these rah-rah options, and march to the stands in a festive ensemble sure to help clench the title for…
U2 visit to University of Oklahoma brings in a cool half million dollars
The University of Oklahoma doesn’t need a successful football team to make money. Just bring in the biggest rock ‘n’ roll band in the world. A story from the Tulsa World reports OU will rake in at least $500,000 when legendary Irish rock band U2 performs at the Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium on Oct.…
It Might Get Loud
Music is a science, a universal language, and an inspiration to many of us. And for these reasons, it’s an absolute obsession for a trio of electric-guitar virtuosos spanning multiple generations: Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin, The Edge of U2 and Jack White of The White Stripes. The documentary “It Might Get Loud” takes viewers…
Metro area hosts first competitive Scrabble tournament in more than 20 years
In the cutthroat world of competitive Scrabble, Moore resident Matthew Hodge is the top player from Oklahoma, currently ranked 32nd in the country. He’s been playing official tournaments for eight years, but none in his own hometown. “There hasn’t been a tournament in Oklahoma City in over two decades,” Hodge said. So he started one.…
The Invention of Lying
What do you make of a romantic comedy ballsy enough to challenge belief in God? We’re not in Matthew McConaughey territory anymore. “The Invention of Lying” is a romcom with a subversive streak, but writer/director/star Ricky Gervais (“Ghost Town”) prefers his rebellion with a smile. It’s a curious, if uneven, sensibility, but at its best,…
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21):
Amazingly enough, the good deeds you do in the next 21 days could alone qualify you for a permanent exemption from hell. It seems God has cooked up some imminent tests that will give you a chance to garner some ridiculously sublime karma. What’s that you say? You don’t believe in either God or hell?…
Oklahoma senator becomes affair negotiator
Oklahoma’s U.S. Sen. Tom Coburn is a big believer in not having the government solve problems, that local folks should be able to come together and work out society’s problems without needing the government to intervene. It is his philosophy that when people without full health insurance coverage are in need of medical attention, they…
The Cimarron Alliance celebrates Gay History Month with inaugural event
The Cimarron Alliance Foundation, a nonprofit representing the LGBT community, is holding its inaugural Gay History Month Gala Friday at the Oklahoma History Center, 2401 N. Laird. The event will include an awards ceremony to recognize individuals helping further gay rights. Michael Bratcher, a spokesperson for the Cimarron Alliance, said the organization’s board chose the recipients…
Record label owner, punk zine publisher gathers comedians for a national tour
Scouring the country for punk venues, dive bars and whatever hole-in-the-wall that’ll give it stage time, the Altercation Punk Comedy Tour is an attempt to tap into the rebellious spirit of indie rock, but with the satiric bite of alternative comedy. Founder JT Habersaat named the tour after Altercation Magazine, the punk-music periodical he publishes,…
Oklahoma senator becomes affair negotiator
Oklahoma’s U.S. Sen. Tom Coburn is a big believer in not having the government solve problems, that local folks should be able to come together and work out society’s problems without needing the government to intervene. It is his philosophy that when people without full health insurance coverage are in need of medical attention, they…
Remembering Bellmon
“He had the courage to be honest.” That was Henry Bellmon, remembered by the irascible Ben Blackstock, former executive director of the Oklahoma Press Association. Bellmon, elected the first Republican governor of Oklahoma in 1962, left a legacy of independence and integrity. As a father to the GOP in Oklahoma, his leadership transformed Oklahoma into…
Author John Grisham to speak at Oklahoma City University’s legal clinic’s launch
Greg Wilhoit, whose story of wrongful conviction and incarceration on Oklahoma’s death row was told by John Grisham in his 2006 book “The Innocent Man,” now lives in Sacramento, Calif. He is on full Social Security Disability Insurance, and despite being acquitted in a second trial, has never received any compensation from the state of…
Happy Birthday to Me
1981 “Happy Birthday to Me” isn’t your average slasher film. For one thing, its connection to its titular holiday is tenuous (unlike, say, “My Bloody Valentine,” “Halloween” or “April Fool’s Day”). For another, it’s helmed by a real director: J. Lee Thompson, who did “Cape Fear,” “The Guns of Navarone” and two of the “Planet…
Remembering Bellmon
“He had the courage to be honest.” That was Henry Bellmon, remembered by the irascible Ben Blackstock, former executive director of the Oklahoma Press Association. Bellmon, elected the first Republican governor of Oklahoma in 1962, left a legacy of independence and integrity. As a father to the GOP in Oklahoma, his leadership transformed Oklahoma into…
Latest Religious Messages
David Cerullo came to prominence after purchasing the television studios abandoned by Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker and established what is perhaps the boldest of all Christian “prosperity gospel” ministries (that pays him an annual base salary of $1.52 million). With his father, semi-retired Pentecostal preacher Morris Cerullo, they assure followers that the more they…
Questionable Judgments
The cheap-drink Tuesday night special at the Attic bar in Newcastle, England, in early September was a money-back guarantee at the end of the night to anyone who could still legally drive (measured by the bar’s breathalyzer), with the evening’s most-alcohol-saturated customer drinking free the following week. The Newcastle City Council soon convinced the bar…
Online learning finds its place among traditional universities
Advertisements for online degree programs are springing up everywhere. It’s becoming more difficult to discern which programs provide a genuine education from those that let you print out your diploma after paying a small fee. BOOST THEIR EDUCATION STEPPED UP THE QUALITY Generally, there are two perspectives on these programs. One camp views them as…
Frontier City offers ghastly tradition with FrightFest
This month, Frontier City offers more than just log rides and roller coasters, and you’ll want to bring a friend to hold on to for this ghastly tradition. FrightFest begins Friday with Halloween-themed rides, shows and attractions, and 20,000 pieces of candy for kids. Located at 11501 N.E. Expressway, the theme park is debuting a…
Student Film expands cast, releases most challenging production to date
Giving up the dream of rock stardom might seem the logical end to any band, but for one of the metro’s most cerebral indie acts, Student Film, that realization marked a new beginning. OFF-KILTER BRAND OF ROCK CHANGING CONDITION “It’s been easier ” way easier,” said multi-instrumentalist Zac Davis. “Once you get over these grandiose…
Those Darlins combine country wit, pop melody and rock democracy
It’s easy to love Those Darlins, and not just because of the three lovely ladies who front the band. They possess a bristling verve and winning melodicism that combines the muscular rhythms of punk, girl-group harmonies and the foot-tapping twang of classic country with a keen sense of humor. The trio ” Nikki, Kelley and…
Oklahoma City radio personality takes band-loving heat
Continuing the “College Town” theme in this week’s Chicken-Fried News, you gotta give it up to “The Ultimate,” Jim Traber. The WWLS sports personality has taken some shots for going out on a limb in the past, but now some Stillwater folks think he’s really crossed the line. Traber, a former Major League Baseball player…
Children of the Corn
Fritz Kiersch’s 1984 film “Children of the Corn” is not a great film, but it’s an effective low-budget shocker that still holds up from the VHS age. That’s not to say it can’t be improved, but the 2009 remake has not done so. Directed by Donald P. Borchers, the producer of the original, the new…
