Updates
Two longtime News of the Weird ongoing sagas came to an end this summer. In August, the annual Gotmar festival in India’s Madhya Pradesh state was finally banned, after “centuries” of tradition. Residents of two neighboring villages would come together once a year to bombard each other all day long with rocks (resulting in dozens…
Updates
Two longtime News of the Weird ongoing sagas came to an end this summer. In August, the annual Gotmar festival in India’s Madhya Pradesh state was finally banned, after “centuries” of tradition. Residents of two neighboring villages would come together once a year to bombard each other all day long with rocks (resulting in dozens…
Least Competent Criminals
Kevin Ollie, 17, and Damien Cole, 19, completely failed in their attempted street robbery in Milwaukee, Wis., in August, when they accosted a young man and woman. The male “victim” drew his own gun, shot Ollie fatally and held Cole for the police. Later, Cole, though not the shooter, was charged with Ollie’s death under…
People With Issues
Three physicians, reporting in The Canadian Journal of Urology in July, described how they handled an emergency-room patient who arrived with a ballpoint pen in his urethra. The man, 57, had assumed that the insertion would be pleasurable, and when it wasn’t, thought initially that maybe the pen was not in far enough. After pushing…
Least Competent Criminals
Kevin Ollie, 17, and Damien Cole, 19, completely failed in their attempted street robbery in Milwaukee, Wis., in August, when they accosted a young man and woman. The male “victim” drew his own gun, shot Ollie fatally and held Cole for the police. Later, Cole, though not the shooter, was charged with Ollie’s death under…
People With Issues
Three physicians, reporting in The Canadian Journal of Urology in July, described how they handled an emergency-room patient who arrived with a ballpoint pen in his urethra. The man, 57, had assumed that the insertion would be pleasurable, and when it wasn’t, thought initially that maybe the pen was not in far enough. After pushing…
One Step Beyond: The Official First Season
1959 Why does Paramount’s release of “One Step Beyond” come advertised as “The Official First Season”? Because a copyright lapse resulted in 50 of the series’ 97 episodes making it onto a budget compilation called “The Very Best of One Step Beyond,” which clogged Walmart’s $5 bargain bins for months last year. Of course, you…
The Continuing Crisis
Two motorists inadvertently wound up in backyard swimming pools recently: In July, flat-bed truck driver Nicholas Sparks, 25, hauling two motorcycles and towing two trucks, learned that he could not also handle talking on one cell phone while texting on another and accidentally crashed into a house in Lockport, N.Y., ending up with his truck…
The Continuing Crisis
Two motorists inadvertently wound up in backyard swimming pools recently: In July, flat-bed truck driver Nicholas Sparks, 25, hauling two motorcycles and towing two trucks, learned that he could not also handle talking on one cell phone while texting on another and accidentally crashed into a house in Lockport, N.Y., ending up with his truck…
Trick ‘r Treat – Marc Andreyko
WildStorm I’ve waited years “? literally “? to see “Trick ‘r Treat,” the horror anthology from writer/director Michael Dougherty. For whatever reason, Warner Bros. delayed and ultimately shelved plans for a theatrical release to send it straight to DVD, despite excellent word of mouth. That move also affected WildStorm’s plans to publish a simultaneous four-issue…
Sherlock Holmes on Screen: The Complete Film and TV History – Alan Barnes
Reynolds & Hearn Ltd. With Robert Downey Jr. looking to capture box-office bucks come Christmas Day with the release of “Sherlock Holmes,” expect a resurgence of the great detective on TV and DVD, as well as in print. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s iconic sleuth has been a staple of cinema even before movies carried sound,…
Plaza District celebrates rebirth by growing annual event
ng as the economy is pulling out of this slump it has been in, it will make the district stronger, because people will be rethinking their careers and pursuing them down here.” YOUTH-ORIENTED ELEMENTS Kristen Vails took the job of executive director of the Plaza District Association last year just before the previous festival. She…
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20):
While reviewing the work of Angelina Jolie in the film Taking Lives, A. O. Scott called her “the flesh-and-blood actress most likely to be mistaken for a computer-generated special effect.” I don’t expect you to rival Jolie’s odd talent anytime soon, but I wonder if maybe you’ll be seeing a lot of that kind of…
Clutch has driven hard for decades, rock gears grinding into heavy roar
The four core members of Clutch have released eight albums in nearly 20 years, exploring a steely hard-rocking boogie that blends blues-psych, metal and rock. Chunky monstrous grooves are built on finger-licking riffs that quake, shake and bake, cooking like rotisserie, sealing in all the greasy roar and funky, hip-waggling throb. The band’s July release,…
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22):
Is there a big difference between your current job and your beloved career? Do you suffer from the unsettling feeling that your calling hasn’t called you yet? Are you under the impression that your main reason for being here on Earth may reveal itself at some unknown time in the future, but not anytime soon?…
Would-be climbers can get a leg up with Oklahoman’s book
One hand slides along the coarse, sun-drenched surface searching for a crevasse to serve as the next piece to the overall puzzle, while the other hand remains strategically positioned, part of an impromptu choreography climbers sometimes refer to as “dancing on the rock.” UPDATED EDITION FAST LEARNER One wrong move or a single false step…
The Walkmen don’t sound like anyone else, but band says it’s only rock ‘n’ roll
There is no mistaking The Walkmen for another band. With ragged melodies, vintage musical instruments, rattle-and-hiss production and caterwauling of lead singer Hamilton Leithauser, the quintet has forged a distinctive path in indie rock. The New York-based band’s output belies faint traces of many recording artists ” Leonard Cohen, the Pogues and Joy Division, to…
Arming veterans with guitars, local musicians command pilot program
A lifelong musician, Oklahoma City native Butch Johnson knows more than most how deeply music can affect the mind and body. TREATMENT PROGRAM GUITAR LESSONS LIMITED RESOURCES “Music is good for your heart and for your soul,” he said. “It’s the universal language.” Johnson first picked up the guitar at the age of 12, when…
Fat Pig’ is heavy with top-notch acting, expert direction
Playwright Neil LaBute is noted for making audiences feel uncomfortable. He likes to put characters in situations that are difficult to watch. But with the thought-provoking “Fat Pig,” now being presented by Ghostlight Theatre Club, under Emily Etherton’s direction, LaBute makes us squirm by holding up a mirror to the audience and posing the question,…
Pandorum
Three decades ago, “Alien” set the standard for the sci-fi subgenre of the spaceship as haunted house. With the exception of the 1986 sequel “Aliens,” no film has even come close to it, but Hollywood continues to trot them out. “Pandorum” is the latest, and it comes from producer Paul W.S. Anderson, who’s behind the…
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18):
On behalf of all us non-Aquarians, I’d like to express our appreciation for the experiments you’ve been performing. Please don’t be discouraged just because the results thus far have been inconclusive and left you feeling a trifle rudderless. We feel confident that sooner or later you’ll come up with discoveries that will have bottom-line value…
Stillwater singer/songwriter uses athletic work ethic to steal center stage
Growing up in Stillwater, sports always dominated the life of singer/songwriter John Martin. Encouraged by his father, a national champion wrestler at Iowa State, Martin and his siblings were active in a variety of sports. From age 4 on, he was always on the field or court, suiting and lacing up for football, baseball and…
Stillwater singer/songwriter uses athletic work ethic to steal center stage
Growing up in Stillwater, sports always dominated the life of singer/songwriter John Martin. Encouraged by his father, a national champion wrestler at Iowa State, Martin and his siblings were active in a variety of sports. From age 4 on, he was always on the field or court, suiting and lacing up for football, baseball and…
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22):
“I may not love you,” wrote R. R. Doister, “but I can certainly love my fantasy about you.” Personally, I’ve been guilty of embodying that attitude toward certain people in my life. There have also been allies to whom I could have said, “I do love you, although I love my fantasy about you a…
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21):
The coming week will have something to offend and agitate everyone — except you. Whines and moans and yelps will ring out across the land, even as you’re emanating poise and aplomb. You may be tempted to brazenly exploit everyone’s vulnerability and seize control of your corner of the world, but I think that would…
Would-be climbers can get a leg up with Oklahoman’s book
One hand slides along the coarse, sun-drenched surface searching for a crevasse to serve as the next piece to the overall puzzle, while the other hand remains strategically positioned, part of an impromptu choreography climbers sometimes refer to as “dancing on the rock.” UPDATED EDITION FAST LEARNER One wrong move or a single false step…
Ironies
Undesirable Medical Specialty: Athena Sidlar, 28, was fired in August from her trainee job at the Allentown (Pa.) State Hospital after being accused of helping a mental patient swallow metal objects. Belatedly, hospital personnel discovered that Sidlar, herself, has a history of compulsive metal-swallowing. To Fight Sin, One Must Know Sin: In April, the Arizona…
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20):
While reviewing the work of Angelina Jolie in the film Taking Lives, A. O. Scott called her “the flesh-and-blood actress most likely to be mistaken for a computer-generated special effect.” I don’t expect you to rival Jolie’s odd talent anytime soon, but I wonder if maybe you’ll be seeing a lot of that kind of…
Oklahoma City names street for ‘Queen of Rockabilly’
The “Queen of Rockabilly” performed for downtown crowds this afternoon at a ceremony organized to formally dedicate an Oklahoma City street named in her honor. The newly named Wanda Jackson Way is adjacent to Flaming Lips Alley and intersects Mickey Mantle Drive in Bricktown. After accolades from Mayor Mick Cornett and other city and state…
Martin Park Nature Center hosts Spider Hunt
Kids can discover creepy-crawlies and make eight-legged friends Saturday at Spider Hunt, hosted by Martin Park Nature Center, 5000 W. Memorial. The 10 a.m. hunt is divided into two parts. First, spider enthusiast and naturalist Bill Bennett will teach kids about the biology and habits of the arachnids, focusing on interesting and often overlooked facts.…
Martin Park Nature Center hosts Spider Hunt
Kids can discover creepy-crawlies and make eight-legged friends Saturday at Spider Hunt, hosted by Martin Park Nature Center, 5000 W. Memorial. The 10 a.m. hunt is divided into two parts. First, spider enthusiast and naturalist Bill Bennett will teach kids about the biology and habits of the arachnids, focusing on interesting and often overlooked facts.…
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21):
The Indian guru known as Amma has hugged over 30 million people during her three-decades career. I’ve known people who’ve received blessings from her, and they tell me that she can magically undo your karmic knots with her spiritual power, freeing you from having to suffer indefinitely for the bad decisions you made in the…
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19):
“The bear must deal with 20 obstacles, and each one of them involves pears,” says the Sufi proverb, “because the bear adores pears.” That’s a twisty truth worth meditating on, Capricorn. I suspect that the gifts coming your way will bring their own unique problems; the dreams you’re in love with will generate new dilemmas…
GEMINI (May 21-June 20):
Several couples I know keep lists of the five celebrities they’d be allowed to boink if the chance ever presented itself. My friend Jim, for instance, will incur no karmic repercussions with his girlfriend Alicia if he ever spends a night of carnal delight with the following people: Lady Gaga, Sarah Silverman, Karen O, Shakira,…
Fear Itself: Season One
2008 Although it’s not official, “Fear Itself” is more or less the third season of Showtime’s “Masters of Horror,” albeit on NBC. Both were hour-long shows with “name” directors; both were created by Mick Garris (he of many a Stephen King adaptation); and both were wildly uneven. When the series aired last summer (and hyped,…
Oklahoma representative suggests nickel deposit program
State Rep. Ryan Kiesel, D-Seminole, is awesome. Kick-ass Kiesel hopes to introduce a bill next legislative session to add a 5-cent deposit on plastic and glass bottles and aluminum cans, according to an article from The Associated Press. When? Can it be now? This proposed bottle deposit might as well be called the “Keep Oklahoma…
Okie experimentation, musicianship amplified guitar history
The electric guitar is a loud and important part of music history, and the Sooner State helped strum the development of the modern instrument. FIRST AMPLIFIER CHARLIE CHRISTIAN BREEDING GROUND And according to at least one Oklahoma City billboard, the instrument, which is used all over the world, was invented right here in Oklahoma. Tracing…
Michael Nau remakes sound, discovers a ‘Paranoid’ voice, rejoins band mate
It’s not easy separating Page France from Cotton Jones. Not only could the monikers of Michael Nau’s former and current musical projects be character names from a children’s book, but the sweet, laconic folk-inflected pop of both acts narrate a similar story. CRITICAL ACCOLADES NEW SPIRIT Page France began in 2004 just as Nau was…
Oklahoma senator’s chief of staff shares porn, gay connection
There are phases in the life of a boy when the truth comes raining down and another piece of innocence flies away. Like the moment the lad learns those gifts under the Christmas tree did not come from Santa Claus, or his favorite television show will come on whether he is home to watch it…
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18):
On behalf of all us non-Aquarians, I’d like to express our appreciation for the experiments you’ve been performing. Please don’t be discouraged just because the results thus far have been inconclusive and left you feeling a trifle rudderless. We feel confident that sooner or later you’ll come up with discoveries that will have bottom-line value…
Margaret Cho stages stand-up with songs that aren’t a joke
onicling the life of a model reincarnated in the body of an overweight woman “? a seemingly peculiar choice, considering her previous series experience. “I fell in love with the show’s creator,” Cho said. “I loved the script and felt so moved by the story, I had to be involved in it. Given my history,…
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19):
“The bear must deal with 20 obstacles, and each one of them involves pears,” says the Sufi proverb, “because the bear adores pears.” That’s a twisty truth worth meditating on, Capricorn. I suspect that the gifts coming your way will bring their own unique problems; the dreams you’re in love with will generate new dilemmas…
Atlanta’s Zac Brown Band climbs charts, tops scale with sales
Although its been creating a buzz in the Southern states for nearly 10 years, the Zac Brown Band is a relative newcomer to the deeply entrenched country music scene, but this year, the Atlanta outfit has become the best-selling new artist behind Lady Gaga. In November 2008, the band released “The Foundation,” which spawned a…
Hi-PoP! – The Duct Tapes
When a cheery, young and fresh-faced white kid approaches with a new rap album, it’s a bit unnerving. Even amid understandable trepidation at the listening party debut for Spencer Livingston Gainey and Zach Miller’s Norman rap outfit, Hi-PoP!, the 80-plus people in attendance and Gainey’s amiable spirit didn’t devolve the night into a bad rap…
The Get Up Kids revisits signature ’90s sound
“Got your full attention over hours of speculation / We’re not running backwards,” sings Matt Pryor, on the opening track of his band’s 1999 EP, “Red Letter Day.” “Don’t you know that we love reunion shows / This is not a swan song, but it goes / If we had known what we know now…
From Civic Center to Hi-Lo, sound engineers are whipping boys, unsung heroes
Whenever the stage lights go up and the band walks on stage, all glory goes to the musicians when the show goes off without a hitch. But when things go haywire, all eyes are directed to the man or woman behind the mixer. TOMMY THOMPSON NEWT TAYLOR SEAN SUNDSTROM GEORGE RYAN Oklahoma Gazette found four…
To take in music in Oklahoma City, locals have to leave seats
In November last year, a veritable establishment of well-dressed business leaders, politicians and educators gathered in downtown Oklahoma City. BALANCING ACTS WELCOME TO THE CLUB CONCERT COMPETITION AUSTIN CITY, NO LIMITS The local music scene was the focus of the midday luncheon, sponsored by the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce, and featured a panel-led…
OKC Mayor Mick Cornett plans to educate about $777 million proposal
It’s a matter of educating the public. That’s the conclusion of Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett after examining an exclusive MAPS 3 poll sponsored by the Oklahoma Gazette and News 9. While a slight majority favored another extension of the city’s 1-cent sales tax to pay for city improvements, some of the projects contained in…
Halliwell’s The Movies That Matter – David Gritten
Welcome to the first recession-era edition of “Halliwell’s: The Movies that Matter,” one of those film reference books that gets printed year after year, each time stretching the limits of binderies as it resembles the Yellow Pages of a major metropolitan era. Not this time. As David Gritten notes in his intro, the Internet has…
Oklahoma City names street for ‘Queen of Rockabilly’
The “Queen of Rockabilly” performed for downtown crowds this afternoon at a ceremony organized to formally dedicate an Oklahoma City street named in her honor. The newly named Wanda Jackson Way is adjacent to Flaming Lips Alley and intersects Mickey Mantle Drive in Bricktown. After accolades from Mayor Mick Cornett and other city and state…
The Walkmen don’t sound like anyone else, but band says it’s only rock ‘n’ roll
There is no mistaking The Walkmen for another band. With ragged melodies, vintage musical instruments, rattle-and-hiss production and caterwauling of lead singer Hamilton Leithauser, the quintet has forged a distinctive path in indie rock. The New York-based band’s output belies faint traces of many recording artists ” Leonard Cohen, the Pogues and Joy Division, to…
CFN Quote of the Week
“Life and success in life is not a question of being dealt a good hand, but playing a bad hand well, over and over and over again.” “longtime NBC News Correspondent Bob Dotson, speaking at the Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Oklahoma, according to The Norman Transcript
A ‘cooperative affair’
Lately, I’ve been intending to read some of Will Rogers’ writings. Not only is he Oklahoma’s favorite son, but he was a popular writer of cultural and political commentary in his day. Only 10 months into my own gig writing commentary, I’m hoping I’ll learn some things. This desire to develop my knowledge and skills…
GEMINI (May 21-June 20):
Several couples I know keep lists of the five celebrities they’d be allowed to boink if the chance ever presented itself. My friend Jim, for instance, will incur no karmic repercussions with his girlfriend Alicia if he ever spends a night of carnal delight with the following people: Lady Gaga, Sarah Silverman, Karen O, Shakira,…
ARIES (March 21-April 19):
Is the electron a wave or a particle? Physicists had to conduct thousands of experiments to arrive at the definitive answer, which is that it’s both. In other words, the solution to one of the fundamental questions about the nature of reality is a paradox. I think this strongly suggests that the correct response to…
From Civic Center to Hi-Lo, sound engineers are whipping boys, unsung heroes
Whenever the stage lights go up and the band walks on stage, all glory goes to the musicians when the show goes off without a hitch. But when things go haywire, all eyes are directed to the man or woman behind the mixer. TOMMY THOMPSON NEWT TAYLOR SEAN SUNDSTROM GEORGE RYAN Oklahoma Gazette found four…
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22):
“I may not love you,” wrote R. R. Doister, “but I can certainly love my fantasy about you.” Personally, I’ve been guilty of embodying that attitude toward certain people in my life. There have also been allies to whom I could have said, “I do love you, although I love my fantasy about you a…
The Haunted World of El Superbeasto
2009 Something I thought not possible: Rob Zombie’s “The Haunted World of El Superbeasto” is even raunchier than the short-lived comic book from which it spawned, “Spookshow International.” It’s also long-delayed, which suggests a problematic production, but the end result is an absolute riot. If it weren’t animated, I’m convinced it’d be rated NC-17. El…
CANCER (June 21-July 22):
I’m happy you’re getting back to fundamentals and shedding pretensions and nourishing your roots, but I also want to make sure that you don’t get too funky and lowdown. I’d hate to have to be hoisting you up out of the gutter next week, or counseling you on how to cover for the fact that…
To take in music in Oklahoma City, locals have to leave seats
In November last year, a veritable establishment of well-dressed business leaders, politicians and educators gathered in downtown Oklahoma City. BALANCING ACTS WELCOME TO THE CLUB CONCERT COMPETITION AUSTIN CITY, NO LIMITS The local music scene was the focus of the midday luncheon, sponsored by the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce, and featured a panel-led…
Arming veterans with guitars, local musicians command pilot program
A lifelong musician, Oklahoma City native Butch Johnson knows more than most how deeply music can affect the mind and body. TREATMENT PROGRAM GUITAR LESSONS LIMITED RESOURCES “Music is good for your heart and for your soul,” he said. “It’s the universal language.” Johnson first picked up the guitar at the age of 12, when…
Guys behind Ultimate Terrors haunted house know what scares
Not all of the disembodied limbs were in their proper place as Jim Bates walked through his haunted house, pointing out soon-to-be sites for a jumping spider and a striking snake. “A lady peed her pants right here last year,” he said, motioning to the floor. With Darrell Duer Jr., Bates is co-owner of Ultimate…
Universe City trades stage, couch to musicians, artists
Underground music venues may have gone the way of the vinyl LP over the last few decades, but as any record store clerk will tell you, there’s something to be said for tradition. Luckily, Oklahomans don’t have to go as far as New York or even Austin to get their obscure venue fix; they need…
Clutch has driven hard for decades, rock gears grinding into heavy roar
The four core members of Clutch have released eight albums in nearly 20 years, exploring a steely hard-rocking boogie that blends blues-psych, metal and rock. Chunky monstrous grooves are built on finger-licking riffs that quake, shake and bake, cooking like rotisserie, sealing in all the greasy roar and funky, hip-waggling throb. The band’s July release,…
Restored, historic electric organ brings new sounds to growing OU music program
A forest of hulking metal pipes fills a room behind the stage of Paul F. Sharp Hall at the University of Oklahoma. ONGOING PLAN ORGAN PROGRAM The pipes are part of the newly restored M.P. Möler Opus 5819 organ, or “Mini Mo,” as the department likes to call it. Partially assembled during its installation, the…
Oklahoma Philatelic Society hosts 35th annual event
Oklahomans who share a unique and historic hobby will gather to showcase collections for the community and each other. The Oklahoma Philatelic Society, informally known as the Oklahoma City Stamp Club, hosts the 35th annual OKPEX event Friday and Saturday at the Express Event Center, 8512 Northwest Expressway. The group is the largest nonprofit stamp-collecting…
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22):
Is there a big difference between your current job and your beloved career? Do you suffer from the unsettling feeling that your calling hasn’t called you yet? Are you under the impression that your main reason for being here on Earth may reveal itself at some unknown time in the future, but not anytime soon?…
Oklahoma State hosts Jimmy Fallon, Jason Aldean at annual Orange Peel
=”http://www.osupeel.com” target=”_blank”>Orange Peel. OSU students form a committee each year to plan Orange Peel, which is a concert and pep rally that raises money for various nonprofits and charitable organizations. The committee, headed this year by executive director Kristen Kenaga, has selected the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation to receive proceeds from Saturday’s event. UPWARD TRAJECTORYSince Orange…
Oklahoma boasts highest rates of multiple matrimonies
Relax, Oklahoma. We may not become national champions in college football, but the Sooner State kicks ass when it comes to residents who know how to say “I do” several times over. According to an AP report, newly released census data shows that “Oklahoma has the highest rate of people who have been married three…
The Hannibal Files: The Unauthorised Guide to the Hannibal Lecter Phenomenon – Daniel O’Brien
Reynolds & Hearn Ltd. Just in time for Halloween, three of the five Dr. Hannibal Lecter films have made their way onto Blu-ray, albeit without all the bells-and-whistles special features that home-theater enthusiasts have come to expect from the high-def format. To help compensate for the lack of behind-the-scenes banter and making-of documentaries, I recommend…
And the Woody goes to…
A few solid standbys and several surprises are on the list as readers once again made their picks of the best local music for the Gazette’s annual Woody Awards. ROCK BAND New York SummerThese metro pop-rockers shimmer like the season the Oklahoma City band is named after. Recently culled from other acts, the four-piece “…
Universe City trades stage, couch to musicians, artists
Underground music venues may have gone the way of the vinyl LP over the last few decades, but as any record store clerk will tell you, there’s something to be said for tradition. Luckily, Oklahomans don’t have to go as far as New York or even Austin to get their obscure venue fix; they need…
Breast pumping
A male Swedish college student, Ragnar Bengtsson, 26, has begun pumping his breasts at three-hour intervals in a 90-day experiment to see if he can produce milk. If he succeeds, he said, it could prove “very important for men’s ability to get much closer to their children at an early stage.” A professor of endocrinology…
Okie experimentation, musicianship amplified guitar history
The electric guitar is a loud and important part of music history, and the Sooner State helped strum the development of the modern instrument. FIRST AMPLIFIER CHARLIE CHRISTIAN BREEDING GROUND And according to at least one Oklahoma City billboard, the instrument, which is used all over the world, was invented right here in Oklahoma. Tracing…
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21):
The Indian guru known as Amma has hugged over 30 million people during her three-decades career. I’ve known people who’ve received blessings from her, and they tell me that she can magically undo your karmic knots with her spiritual power, freeing you from having to suffer indefinitely for the bad decisions you made in the…
Oklahoma senator’s chief of staff shares porn, gay connection
There are phases in the life of a boy when the truth comes raining down and another piece of innocence flies away. Like the moment the lad learns those gifts under the Christmas tree did not come from Santa Claus, or his favorite television show will come on whether he is home to watch it…
Guys behind Ultimate Terrors haunted house know what scares
Not all of the disembodied limbs were in their proper place as Jim Bates walked through his haunted house, pointing out soon-to-be sites for a jumping spider and a striking snake. “A lady peed her pants right here last year,” he said, motioning to the floor. With Darrell Duer Jr., Bates is co-owner of Ultimate…
OKC Mayor Mick Cornett plans to educate about $777 million proposal
It’s a matter of educating the public. That’s the conclusion of Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett after examining an exclusive MAPS 3 poll sponsored by the Oklahoma Gazette and News 9. While a slight majority favored another extension of the city’s 1-cent sales tax to pay for city improvements, some of the projects contained in…
Oklahoma boasts highest rates of multiple matrimonies
Relax, Oklahoma. We may not become national champions in college football, but the Sooner State kicks ass when it comes to residents who know how to say “I do” several times over. According to an AP report, newly released census data shows that “Oklahoma has the highest rate of people who have been married three…
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21):
The coming week will have something to offend and agitate everyone — except you. Whines and moans and yelps will ring out across the land, even as you’re emanating poise and aplomb. You may be tempted to brazenly exploit everyone’s vulnerability and seize control of your corner of the world, but I think that would…
Breast pumping
A male Swedish college student, Ragnar Bengtsson, 26, has begun pumping his breasts at three-hour intervals in a 90-day experiment to see if he can produce milk. If he succeeds, he said, it could prove “very important for men’s ability to get much closer to their children at an early stage.” A professor of endocrinology…
Compelling Explanations
Improbably Successful Pick-up Line: In September, school officials in Australia’s Queensland state said they were investigating an incident earlier in the year in which two teenagers had consensual sex that they recorded on a cell phone camera. The girl reportedly said she was convinced to lose her virginity out of fear that the world would…
My One and Only
In “My One and Only,” Ren
Ironies
Undesirable Medical Specialty: Athena Sidlar, 28, was fired in August from her trainee job at the Allentown (Pa.) State Hospital after being accused of helping a mental patient swallow metal objects. Belatedly, hospital personnel discovered that Sidlar, herself, has a history of compulsive metal-swallowing. To Fight Sin, One Must Know Sin: In April, the Arizona…
Michael Nau remakes sound, discovers a ‘Paranoid’ voice, rejoins band mate
It’s not easy separating Page France from Cotton Jones. Not only could the monikers of Michael Nau’s former and current musical projects be character names from a children’s book, but the sweet, laconic folk-inflected pop of both acts narrate a similar story. CRITICAL ACCOLADES NEW SPIRIT Page France began in 2004 just as Nau was…
A ‘cooperative affair’
Lately, I’ve been intending to read some of Will Rogers’ writings. Not only is he Oklahoma’s favorite son, but he was a popular writer of cultural and political commentary in his day. Only 10 months into my own gig writing commentary, I’m hoping I’ll learn some things. This desire to develop my knowledge and skills…
OCU premieres original adaptation of Anton Chekhov’s ‘Three Sisters’
Anton Chekhov’s “Three Sisters,” directed and adapted by TheatreOCU artistic director Lance Marsh, tells the story of the Prozorov sisters “? Olga, Masha and Irinam “? and their struggle after the death of their father to escape the dull existence of small-town life in favor of returning to the city of their youth, Moscow. Having…
Compelling Explanations
Improbably Successful Pick-up Line: In September, school officials in Australia’s Queensland state said they were investigating an incident earlier in the year in which two teenagers had consensual sex that they recorded on a cell phone camera. The girl reportedly said she was convinced to lose her virginity out of fear that the world would…
CANCER (June 21-July 22):
I’m happy you’re getting back to fundamentals and shedding pretensions and nourishing your roots, but I also want to make sure that you don’t get too funky and lowdown. I’d hate to have to be hoisting you up out of the gutter next week, or counseling you on how to cover for the fact that…
The Get Up Kids revisits signature ’90s sound
“Got your full attention over hours of speculation / We’re not running backwards,” sings Matt Pryor, on the opening track of his band’s 1999 EP, “Red Letter Day.” “Don’t you know that we love reunion shows / This is not a swan song, but it goes / If we had known what we know now…
ARIES (March 21-April 19):
Is the electron a wave or a particle? Physicists had to conduct thousands of experiments to arrive at the definitive answer, which is that it’s both. In other words, the solution to one of the fundamental questions about the nature of reality is a paradox. I think this strongly suggests that the correct response to…
Atlanta’s Zac Brown Band climbs charts, tops scale with sales
Although its been creating a buzz in the Southern states for nearly 10 years, the Zac Brown Band is a relative newcomer to the deeply entrenched country music scene, but this year, the Atlanta outfit has become the best-selling new artist behind Lady Gaga. In November 2008, the band released “The Foundation,” which spawned a…
CFN Quote of the Week
“Life and success in life is not a question of being dealt a good hand, but playing a bad hand well, over and over and over again.” “longtime NBC News Correspondent Bob Dotson, speaking at the Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Oklahoma, according to The Norman Transcript
Surrogates
Sometimes Hollywood has its head so firmly implanted in its own fundament I have to wonder what it sees in there that’s so fascinating. Take the new quasi-sci-fi thriller “Surrogates,” for instance. Here’s a picture that tells you that one of the movies’ greatest appeals is bad for you. The story takes place at least…
Restored, historic electric organ brings new sounds to growing OU music program
A forest of hulking metal pipes fills a room behind the stage of Paul F. Sharp Hall at the University of Oklahoma. ONGOING PLAN ORGAN PROGRAM The pipes are part of the newly restored M.P. Möler Opus 5819 organ, or “Mini Mo,” as the department likes to call it. Partially assembled during its installation, the…
Oklahoma representative suggests nickel deposit program
State Rep. Ryan Kiesel, D-Seminole, is awesome. Kick-ass Kiesel hopes to introduce a bill next legislative session to add a 5-cent deposit on plastic and glass bottles and aluminum cans, according to an article from The Associated Press. When? Can it be now? This proposed bottle deposit might as well be called the “Keep Oklahoma…
In a Dream
2008 For decades, Isaiah Zagar has been transforming Philadelphia into a colorful, vibrant mosaic, starting with every inch of his home and moving outward. He’s an amazing artist, full of great talent. But if history teaches us anything, we know that behind creativity lay fallibility. The extent of the man’s fallibility, however, is astonishing, as…
