When I joined Open Salon eight months ago, I read poetry and political commentary. Times have changed. OS is now saturated with sexual content. It's a shame. What began as a unique and intriguing online journal has turned into a prurient tab… Read full post »

10.  Colonoscopy gone awry

9.  Acupuncture gone awry

8. Face-lift (performed by Michael Jackson's surgeon) 

7.  Cocaine (in supratherapeutic doses)

6. Clorox intoxication

5. Cardiac arrest… Read full post »

Yesterday, Cartouche pointed out that "restaurateur" was misspelled on the OS Cover. This morning I learned that my high school English teacher, Dr. Elizabeth van Hamersveld, died. This post is dedicated to the memory of Dr. van Hamersveld.  She taught me to lo… Read full post »

First, let me apologize for being away from OS. I was on vacation in Fort Lauderdale – and what a splendid vacation it was! No electronic connections – just sun, sand, and surf! And now that I'm refreshed and back in Oklahoma City, I'm cat… Read full post »

I'm a sophisticated writer, so I avoid clichés like the plague. For all intents and purposes, clichés go hand-in-hand with a lazy mind. Fortunately, most are as plain as the nose on your face and therefore easy to avoid.

When I was in school, my teache… Read full post »

I'm a selfish bastard.

When I joined Open Salon six months ago, I found literary freedom. No one questioned my choice of topics. No one restricted my hours. No one limited my space. No one charged me a red cent for the expensive techno/… Read full post »

  Environmentalism is a daunting preoccupation:

• Global warming threatens the planet
• Pollution threatens our health
• Dependance on foreign oil threatens our economy and our national security

So we recycle, plant trees, and use public transportation. But w… Read full post »

Is it any surprise that Switzerland has, arguably, the world's finest health care system?  Would you expect any less from a nation where the air is crisp, the streets are clean, and the trains run on time?

Read full post »

My best friend has a new avatar. It's AWESOME!!!!!  My avatar SUCKS!!!!! It's soooooo dweeby. I'm NOT a DWEEB!!!!! 

I'm SUPER-COOL!!!!! Don't believe me? Ask my friend. He says I'm SUPER-COOL!!!!! Specially on Benadryl.  So I'm getting a SUPER-CO… Read full post »

I'm a general internist. I've been practicing medicine at the OU Health Sciences Center for seventeen years. Readers of my blog know that I support the Obama Health Plan. 

Eager to know if my patients are similarly enthusiastic about the plan, I decided to… Read full post »

When I joined Open Salon, I swore -- I swore -- I would never do an animal post. That promise ended last night when I watched the dazzling inaugural episode of So You Think You Can Dance: Animal Edition. 

The new dance show on FOX comes on the heels of the highly successful… Read full post »

I've witnessed a lot of hate speech on OS lately and, frankly, I'm fed up with it. Fortunately, much of it has already been exposed and condemned. But not all.

The worst attacks have been directed against my friend and fellow blogger, Dennis Loo.

Den… Read full post »

I apologize for taking so long to report on the meet-up in Las Vegas. I've been busy and haven't had much time to write. Fortunately, my fellow OSers have done a good job of describing the affair. I'm sure they'll post more details late… Read full post »

Susan and I have been married for thirteen years. I've learned a lot about marriage in those years. Specifically, I've learned the three "keys" to a successful marriage:   

• Apologize when you make a mistake
• Make amends
• Communicate, communicate,/
… Read full post »

Claude Renoir Painting by Pierre-Auguste Renoir

I love French culture. Consequently, I cannot allow Bastille Day (July 14) to pass without a tribute to France.

The French are greatly misunderstood. Too often Americans travel to Paris for a week, meet a few rude people, a… Read full post »

America has a rich musical heritage.

Consider the adaptations of Protestant hymns -- the Negro spirituals -- that gave birth to blues, jazz, and gospel.  Consider "pop" music, beginning with Tin Pan Alley and ragtime luminaries like Scott Joplin. Consider… Read full post »

When Saturn Smith was convicted of aggravated assault last week, a pall was cast on OS.  Saturn was the smart and savvy journalist who kept us in touch with the world. I am grateful to her for granting me this exclusive interview. My prayers are with her and he… Read full post »

Air travel is complicated. There are many regulations. The worst involve carry-on luggage. Nowadays all toiletries (liquids, gels, and creams) must be kept in 3-ounce containers and transported in a clear, plastic, zip-top bag. 

Last week,&… Read full post »

I love to travel, and so does my wife, Susan. We don't get away often, but when we do, we have a blast!

Last Saturday, we went to Bartlesville. Susan loves architecture, and for years she's wanted to visit Bartlesville's crown jewel -- the Price Tower, Frank L… Read full post »

After seventeen grueling days of competition, the 13th Van Cliburn International Piano Competition ended today. Two Gold Medals were awarded: one to Haochen Zhang (China, age 19), the youngest competitor, and the other to Nobuyuki Tsujii (Japan, age 20), the first blind… Read full post »

I'm a news junkie. For me, happiness is sitting in a La-Z-Boy watching the pundits talk politics. My favorite show is Meet the Press. I started watching it when Tim Russert was host. He was the best of the best! I was devastated when he died, but I kept watching the… Read full post »

For the past five days, I've been in Fort Worth, Texas, attending the 13th Van Cliburn International Piano Competition. The musicians are extraordinary. The semi-finals ended yesterday. Six finalists were announced today. They are (in photographic&… Read full post »

 

2005 Gold Medalist, Alexander Kobrin 

The 13th Van Cliburn International Piano Competition will begin on May 22 in Fort Worth, Texas. Described by the Chicago Tribune as "the most prestigious classical piano contest in the world," the Cliburn, which began in 1962 and is held… Read full post »

I love my Mom. She’s 70-years old, and she’s the best mother in the world. When I was growing up, she fed me well, took care of me when I was sick, and paid for fourteen years of piano lessons. 

Three years ago, when my father died, I star… Read full post »

Susan's list is short today.  I'll be out of Walmart in no time. 

1. Broccoli spears, 2 bags (spears, not chopped)

2. Pinto beans with bacon, 3 cans

3. 6-piece towel set, stone color

4. Bra, medium, Platex.

… Read full post »