No Longer Weird
Adding to the list of stories that were formerly weird but which now occur with such frequency that they must be retired from circulation: (89) People who call the emergency-only 911 number for stupid reasons, such as Reginald Peterson, who called Jacksonville, Fla., police in August because Subway didn’t make his sandwich correctly. (90) People…
Heroes: Season 2
2007-2008 By putting its beloved characters into ridiculous and needlessly extended situations, the second season of “Heroes” fell victim to the dreaded sophomore slump. Oh, it was still enjoyable, but compared to the excellence of its premiere year, it disappointed. Dimension-jumping Hiro trapped in samurai land? Illegal alien siblings who annoy more than the Wonder…
Soundstage Presents: Heart Live
2008 I’m a sucker for women singing to me. When I was in high school, Heart’s “Dog and the Butterfly” came out, and it moved me for reasons that don’t make sense to a grown-up. Probably hormones. Flash forward to right now. The “Heart Live” DVD lands on my desk, hi-def and 5.1 Surround Sound.…
Dororo
2007 Just about every time I see an absolutely crazy Asian movie, I think, “There’s no way Asia can make a movie any crazier.” And then someone does. In this case, it’s “Dororo,” based upon a manga and the first installment of a planned trilogy. Even with English subtitles, “Dororo” doesn’t make a whole lot…
Recurring Themes
The Texas criminal justice system continues to astonish. In August, federal judge Orlando Garcia of San Antonio ordered a final-hours’ stay of execution for Jeffrey Wood based on serious concerns about his sanity, that the Texas state courts had somehow summarily dismissed. Judge Garcia said substantial evidence supported at least holding a hearing on the…
The Continuing Crisis
Mohammed Bello Abubakar, 84, a Muslim preacher in the western Nigerian state of Niger, told a BBC reporter in August that, although he personally has 86 wives (and 170 children), other men could not handle that many. “(M)y own power is given by Allah,” he said. “That is why I have been able to control…
Breathing Room
2008 With a title like “Breathing Room,” you’d expect to find this movie debuting on Lifetime, but Chiller would be a welcome home for it. The eerie low-budget thriller plops a young woman named Tonya (newcomer Ailsa Marshall), naked, in a locked warehouse full of strangers in jumpsuits. They’re all awaiting instructions in a devious…
The Litigious Society
Kevin Hansen filed a lawsuit in West Bend, Wis., in August, claiming that spotting a clump of hair in a steak he sliced into from a Texas Roadhouse restaurant caused “severe and permanent injuries,” pain, suffering and “disability,” requiring “extensive medical treatment.” In fact, said his lawyer Ryan Hetzel to Milwaukee’s Journal Sentinel, “It’s bothered…
Creme de la Weird
In July, Port St. Lucie, Fla., police stopped Timothy Placko in his car on a wooded road and discovered inside a blond wig, rope, binoculars, a small machete, knives, gloves, two bullet casings and a film canister that contained 18 human teeth. Also on the seat was a stack of women’s sonograms that Placko said…
Three Oklahoma soldiers die in helicopter crash
The Oklahoma Army National Guard announced today three Oklahoma soldiers were killed in a Army CH-47 helicopter crash in Iraq. Seven 149th Aviation soldiers in the accident were members of both the Oklahoma and Texas National Guard. The Oklahoma Army National Guard said it believes three of the casualties were Oklahoma Guardsmen from Detachment 1, Company B,…
Design Committee approves Chamber building, with strings
Oklahoma City’s Downtown Design Review Committee with fewer than half of the members voting, approved the proposal for a new Greater Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce building at E.K. Gaylord and Fourth Street, but requested variances for the many guidelines the building violates. The design calls for a reflective-glass, oval-shaped building that will bisect a…
George W. Bush visits Oklahoma City
Well, hot damn ” look who came for dinner! None other than George W. Bush. After dropping by Oklahoma City on Sept. 12 for a health care discussion at Presbyterian Health Foundation Conference Center, Dubya moseyed on over to a nice little fund-raiser in support of his pal John McCain, according to a story in…
Stoops’ success helps put Sooners in league of their own
Contrary to popular belief, at least among Oklahoma football fans, Bob Stoops is a mere mortal. He is flesh and bone, and bleeds Sooner crimson. Any stories being circulated about the coach’s ability to walk on water have been exaggerated. A couple of bowl loses in recent years are proof of that. WINNING PERCENTAGEREJUVENATION But…
Bloodsucking Cinema
2008 I eat documentaries on genre films like I would breakfast: with gusto. “Bloodsucking Cinema” is an hour-long look at vampire movies, with a heavy leaning toward the modern. It premiered on the Starz cable channel, but thankfully has made its way to DVD for the pay-TV-starved. Its mix of titles profiled is suspect, but…
ARIES (March 21-April 19)
Believe it or not, whatever has been limiting your movement has also been expanding your capacities. It’s true. The pinching sensation you’ve had to endure has been covertly generating psychic fuel that you will soon be able to access. Therefore, Aries, I say unto you: Praise your squelchers and constrictors! Be grateful for your stiflers…
Oklahoma representative receives FAIR award
Randy Terrill’s back in the news, getting an award from a nationally designated hate group. The hits just keep on comin’. According to a recent press release from his staff, Terrill is a 2008 recipient of the Federation for American Immigration Reform’s “We the People” Award. The intrepid Moore Republican traveled to Washington, D.C. where…
Kamp’s Market & Deli, OCU collaborate to bring cabaret to Asian District
Want all the thrills and soaring vocals of music theater without the cumbersome story lines? Oklahoma City University and Kamp’s Market & Deli have the answer with a weekly musical showcase, Kamp’s Kabaret. The performance premiered last week and continues Saturday with a cabaret show featuring an array of musical styles, from pop, Broadway to…
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22)
Delfin Vigil interviewed the band Social Studies for the San Francisco Chronicle. He asked guitarist Aaron Weiss, “What is the meaning of life?” Here’s what Weiss said: “Wearing a big name tag, having something stuck in your teeth, walking around with toilet paper stuck to your shoe while awkwardly trying to hit on girls. Living…
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)
Three enlightened teenagers I know have formed a gang called The Disciples. It’s dedicated to plying the dangerous arts of humility, curiosity, and optimism — three qualities that are so undervalued in our culture as to be almost taboo. Here’s their motto, which reveals how far they’re willing to go in order to listen well,…
Dead Connection – Charlie Price
Square Fish Charlie Price’s debut novel, “Dead Connection” is a slim volume aimed at the high school crowd, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t appealing to those out of their teens. The premise of the book is interesting “? a high school dweeb with an equally dweeby name, Murray, spends a large portion of his…
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19)
I would love to place an elegant gold crown on your head. I have the urge to declare you monarch of the expanding realm, maker of new laws, and re-shaper of the collective vision. Are you up for wielding that much power? Can you handle an increased level of responsibilities? Or would you prefer to…
Point: Palin power
I have to say I was a bit nervous. As I was packing to join the rest of the Oklahoma delegation in the Twin Cities, I wondered what the effect of Sen. John McCain’s vice presidential pick would be. Joe Lieberman would have been divisive, Tom Ridge disastrous. As for Mitt Romney or Fred Thompson,…
Psychedelic poet brings swirling, saloon-folk sound to Norman
The young East Coast singer/songwriter Pepi Ginsberg coos and yearns in a flexible voice that transcends sultry. What makes her third release, “Red,” exciting is that she gets to lose herself before the rest of us discover her future records and start making demands. Throughout the reckless “Red” are songs that swirl and ease into…
Compelling Explanations
Jonathan Williams, 33, was convicted of cocaine possession in England’s Guildford Crown Court in July, as jurors rejected his explanation that the pants he had on (containing the cocaine) were not his. That explanation also failed in August in Naples, Fla., for Richard Obdyke, 19, when police found a stolen debit card in his pants.…
Neighborhood holds annual Mesta Festa event
Mesta Festa has become and end-of-the-summer staple for residents of one the metro’s oldest historical neighborhoods. Organizers expect this year’s festival, which starts 11 a.m. Saturday, to bring hundreds to Perle Mesta Park, nestled near the corner of N.W. 19th Street and N. Shartel Avenue. The festival has grown annually since it was founded 13…
The Women
Reviewer’s grade: D+ Yes, “The Women” is yet another remake, and yes, the original picture was so good and so well cast and so much of its own time (1939), remaking it seems doomed to failure. It’s only half a failure. Mary Haines (Meg Ryan) has been happily married to Wall Street hot shot Stephen…
The Uglysuit
Quarterstick/Touch and Go Soundtracking the grandiose and poignant scenes of life just became easier, now that local boys The Uglysuit have released their debut, self-titled album. The release is filled to the brim with skin-tingling crescendos, warm harmonies and waves of good vibes sparking out of the speakers. Remember that ex-girlfriend who seemed gone forever,…
Irony: Oklahoma school district does not listen to own advice
Union Public Schools, a suburb district of Tulsa, launched a new campaign last week aimed at getting parents to be better listeners with their children. But when it comes to complaints about offending Native Americans, school officials might rather wear earmuffs. Around the time Union was unveiling its “Be There” campaign, the Tulsa Indian Coalition…
Pushing the limits, 150 local artists think outside the box
ust be less than 12 inches by 12 inches if 2-D, or 12 inches cubed if 3-D. This year’s show will take place at 7 p.m. Saturday inside the Fred Jones Industries Building, 900 W. Main. The event is a major fund-raiser for the Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition. “More than any other event, it’s a…
Born Yesterday’ opens Oklahoma City Theatre Company’s season
“I hire and fire geniuses every day,” growls Harry Brock, the protagonist in Garson Kanin’s 1946 comedy “Born Yesterday.” And later: “If you ain’t with me, you’re against me.” Considering that “Born Yesterday” is set in Washington, D.C., that last statement has an eerily contemporary ring. Oklahoma City Theatre Company opens its 10th season with…
City Council measure could add a use tax to approved sales tax
The Oklahoma City Council will take up a measure that could add more funds related to the new professional basketball team. The council is considering whether to implement a use tax as a companion to the sales tax voters approved in March. The sales tax was earmarked for improvements to the Ford Center and the…
The Foot Fist Way
2006 After seeing the trailer for the white-trash karate comedy “The Foot Fist Way,” I couldn’t wait for it to hit local theaters this summer. But I had to, because it never arrived. And now I know why. This is one of the most disappointing flicks of the decade. Danny McBride is a funny guy…
GEMINI (May 21-June 20)
As you navigate your way through the challenges ahead of you, should you rely on what you know or on what you don’t know? That’s a good question. I’m inclined to advise you to go with what you know when it concerns your security, and to go with what you don’t know when you’re pursuing…
Hanson evolves into progressive albums, activism
It’s been 11 years since Tulsa’s Hanson broke through the grunge-rock cloud looming over popular radio with “MMMBop,” the viral, omnipresent hit that went to No. 1 in 27 countries and led the band’s 1997 Mercury Records debut, “Middle of Nowhere,” to go quadruple platinum in the United States alone. WORK ETHICCONTINUED SUCCESSTOM’S SHOES Blamed…
What Goes Around, Comes Around
According to police in Bethlehem, Pa., four kids (ages 9 to 14) grabbed a donation box in August at RiverPlace park (contributions to an organization that maintains the park’s portable toilets) and ran for nearby woods, with several police officers in pursuit. Three boys were caught, but the other made it a little ways into…
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18)
Unable to control his appetite for prostitutes, New York’s Governor Elliot Spitzer destroyed his career. Many observers were aghast at the incomprehensibility of his sacrifice. But Phillip Weiss, writing in New York, said he understood. Spitzer desperately “wanted some ‘strange’” — novelty that’s hard to get when you make love with just one person for…
Counterpoint: Palin by comparison
Sarah Palin scares me. Not because she shoots guns or talks tough to good ol’ boys or wants more money for her state. Palin scares me because she could become president of the United States and not only is she unqualified, unprepared and uninformed, she makes it clear that while she’s free to make choices…
Ghostboat
2006 A submarine resurfacing is no big deal “¦ unless it does so 40 years after disappearing. When such an event suddenly occurs to a British sub lost in World War II, the authorities track down the craft’s lone survivor, a biologist named Jack (David Jason), in hopes of finding answers. But his involvement only…
Chicken Soup for the Soul: Loving Our Cats – Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen
Chicken Soup for the Soul Publishing At the dawn of time, when the first “Chicken Soup for the Soul” installment landed on early man’s Christmas pressie list, the book was sweet. Cheesy, but undeniably sweet “? not unlike those inspirational cards dotty grandparents continue to send for birthdays. A millennia, one case of bubonic plague…
Gala, silent auction honors Smithsonian director
exhibit of Dick West’s art and sculpture through Nov. 16 at the Jacobson House, 609 Chautauqua in Norman. Tickets are $150 and can be purchased by calling 366-1667. “?Natalie Burkey
Burn After Reading
Reviewer’s grade: C+ Osborne Cox (John Malkovich, “Eragon,” “Beowulf”) is an intelligence agent recently ousted from his post on the Balkans desk of the CIA. Dour, but determined to use the downtime to write a memoir, Cox’s career move means more chastisi ng from his ball-busting physician wife (Tilda Swinton, “The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince…
Oklahoma Rising?: Part three, Prescription painkillers
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. PRESCRIPTION PAIN RELIEVERSSOBERING FACTS A DEADLY CURESEVERAL FACTORSPRESCRIBING DATA While the state leads the nation in many respects, Oklahomans face significant…
Oklahoma City police arrest former Color Me Badd singer
Former Color Me Badd singer and reality television star Bryan Abrams reportedly was jailed after a public drunkenness and domestic abuse arrest Sept. 5 in south Oklahoma City. Police accuse Abrams of punching a woman in the nose in front of two children after an argument near S.W. 89th and Pennsylvania about 4 p.m. that…
Library celebrates Talk Like a Pirate Day
If it be adventure ye bilge rats seek, set sail Thursday for port Southern Oaks Library and return a true buccaneer. The mutiny begins 6 p.m. at the library, 6900 S. Walker, which will honor Talk Like a Pirate Day, an annual celebration observed by scallywags everywhere. The event has become a popular rallying point…
Former Oklahoma governor co-chairs Catholics for McCain
Former Oklahoma Gov. Frank Keating, along with U.S. Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kan., chairs Catholics for McCain, a Washington, D.C.-based lobbying and grassroots-organizing group. According to Keating, approximately one in four voters in the November election will be Catholic, and that number makes for a huge voting bloc, especially in battleground states like Florida, Pennsylvania and…
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20)
In a story about author Gore Vidal in The Independent, Archie Bland reported on an event that happened just after Vidal’s parents were married. While traveling to their honeymoon, dad told mom, “‘There’s something very important I want you to know.” Mom grew radiantly expectant, imagining he was about to profess his love with a…
Lake Hefner hosts fourth annual Redman Triathlon
Triathletes are rare souls capable of one of the most torturous athletic events in sports: 2.4 miles of swimming, 112 miles on bike and a full 26.2 mile marathon. Completing a triathlon is just as much about mental endurance as physical endurance with even the quickest athletes finishing at around 10 hours. THREE RACE TYPESCABOOSE…
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21)
A poet friend of mine hatched a scheme for writing a book in record time. He bought a round-trip ticket for a Greyhound bus that would take him from Oakland, California to New York City and back. He vowed that over the course of those nine grueling days and 6,000 miles, as he ate stale…
Righteous Kill
Reviewer’s grade: C+ De Niro and Pacino co-star as Turk and Rooster, two NYPD police detectives who have been partners and members of the same mutual admiration society since Carter was president. The pair seem to have almost no lives outside prowling the mean streets together, occasionally stopping off to do a rosary or two…
Tornado Alley Rollergirls auction off plaster casts to help fight cancer
The cold, wet plaster crept down the torso of the young woman standing near the window. Her mummified chest looked a little like a tube top, only this top was a little slimy feeling. BREAST CANCER BOUTPROCEEDS “It feels like snot, especially as it flows down your belly,” said Judi Grove, co-founder of the nonprofit…
City officials say Chamber building debate is traffic vs. pedestrians
On June 4, 2007, URS Corporation out of Denver drafted a study on realigning E.K. Gaylord near N.W. Fourth in downtown Oklahoma City, where it curves across the grid and connects with Broadway Avenue. SECOND DRAFT$18 MILLION PLANTRAFFIC STUDY Proposals then before city engineers and planners for a new Greater Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce…
TAURUS (April 20-May 20)
An uninterpreted dream is like an unopened letter, says the Talmud. But professional dream researcher Stephen LaBerge thinks that’s too broad a statement. In his book Lucid Dreaming, he says dreams are more like poems than letters. If you try to extract literal meanings from them in the service of your ego, they may reveal…
Anachronistic stereotypes of women
Italian and U.K. legal authorities have recently discarded rule interpretations based on embarrassingly anachronistic stereotypes of women. In July, Italy’s Court of Cassation reversed a 1999 ruling creating a legal presumption that a woman wearing tight jeans could not be the victim of rape because such jeans would be impossible to remove without her assistance.…
