The Ghosts of Halloweens Past….

It comes up every year at this time: the accusations, the recriminations, the denials. My younger son and I will start reminiscing about Halloweens past, and my husband will invariably start pouting about the year we ditched him. Said son and I always turn the tables and blame dad for being left behind, but it’s time to come clean.

We ditched him.

On Halloween younger son and his twin pals would take turns trick-or-treating in our oh-so-hilly neighborhood or their flat but spread out one.

The incident in question happened a year the boys headed out armed with pillowcases in our neighborhood, aptly named North HILLS. Husband and I followed at a discreet distance, saving our lungs for the long hauls up and down the streets.

The ‘gold at the end of the rainbow’ was a huge Victorian manse tucked away at the very bottom of the biggest hill. It was the ultimate Halloween destination, lit up with strings of lights, illuminated bats, cats, and assorted monsters. The owners were also legendary for handing out GIANT Hershey bars, the kind you buy only if you’re making S’mores for Bigfoot and his crowd.

The boys made quick work of the streets surrounding our house then were ready to head down the hills to the mother lode. It should be noted, our sprawling university town had set hours for trick or treating…after that the little munchkins (and Buzz Light Years and princesses and Spider Men) had to be off the streets. The college students would be heading out a few hours later for their version of trick or treating, but that’s another scary tale.

At a house just before the big descent to the big candy bars, we got held up. Dad started talking motorcycles with the homeowner and talking and talking and… Three eager boys and antsy mom me stood at the end of the long driveway waiting and waiting and… bolted.

Dad was on his own… curfew was a comin’.

Over hill and dale (and fence) we tromped until we reached our destination. It was a long trudge back up the hills to reach home. The big candy bars were forgotten as the boys participated in the annual ritual of candy swapping and scattering.

Yep, we ditched him. And if we had to do it over again, we’d do the same thing. No time for idle chatter when the treat is giant candy bars and the trick is growing up.

Sights and Frights in Norway

Happy Halloween! In the spirit of the day, Visit Norway has provided some ideas for exploring the spooky side of Norway. You might try to spot Norway's most famous ghost at Trondheim's Nidaros Cathedral, learn about Bergen's history of witch burnings or check into a haunted hotel near Geiranger.

For more travel tips, stay tuned for the annual Viking travel issue, coming in January! We'll take readers on a tour to Telemark and explore art nouveau architecture in Ålesund. And we'll share what we've learned in our conversations with Scandinavian travel specialists, so that your Norwegian travel experience doesn't have to be scary!

Amy Boxrud is editor of Viking magazine. She lives with her family in Northfield, Minn., where she’s a member of Nordmarka 1-585.

Photo courtesy of Flickr user Kim Joar.

In Defense of the 1%

I was leafing through the October 31 Time magazine yesterday when an essay by Joel Stein caught my attention: "Who Speaks for the 1%?"

Actually, the first item to catch my attention was the page's title, The Awesome Column. The haughtiness of the page title seems to reflect the hubris of certain politicians and talk show commentators. I'm not a subscriber to the mag but believe based on 40 seconds of Google research that The Awesome Column used to be a staple of Time and has re-appeared. I draw that conclusion based on a 2006 question at Yahoo, What happened to Time Magazine's awesome column? - Yahoo! Answers

After reading several additional sidetracks I've concluded that Joel Stein enjoys tweaking noses and being contrarian. So naturally he saddles up and leads us into the current fray called Occupy Wall Street. He's a good writer. Here's the opening...

I don't like the top 1% of anything. Intelligence? Boring! Fun? Exhausting! Thoughtfulness? Annoying! Hairiness? Too hairy!

So I get why the Occupy Wall Street protesters gained momentum with their slogan WE ARE THE 99%. Everyone loves the 99%. You can have a beer with the 99%. You can eat with your hands in front of the 99%. You can talk about TV shows with the 99% without them telling you that while they don't think there's anything wrong with TV, if they had one, they would watch it literally all the time, so it's better to just not keep one...

Stein goes on to say that for the most part the top 1% are interesting, generous and charming. These are the folk who started Time magazine, founded Stanford where Stein went to college, and have built the art museums that the public enjoys. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation was started by a one per center, as have many other such endeavors.

If there is a pecking order of people to despise in this world, it would probably be the 1% of the 1%-ers who are jerks that embarrass the rest of the 1%-ers.

To read more, pick up a Time magazine at your local B&N* ($5.99) or head over to the online home of this awesome column.

*If you own a B&N Nook, you can download my first novel The Red Scorpion for $2.99. Or click the book cover to the right for the Kindle version.

Surfacing Exhibit Goes Public at Luce

The idea of art in public spaces has been with us for a very long time. No restaurant worth its seasonings will allow bare walls to be the only decoration. Environment certainly plays a role in our enjoyment of eating. Let our eyes be awash with color and our minds stimulated while those taste buds dance.

There are actually quite a few places where artists can display their work in the Twin Ports, from Beaners in the West to Jitters, Zinema and the Zeitgeist Cafe downtown. Going east on London Road there are several additional small businesses like Dunn Bros. Coffee and Lisa Casperson's Art for Hair which has art on the wall, too. And let's not forget all the places and spaces across the bridge... Red Mug and the Phantom Galleries Superior to name a few.

Thursday November 3 from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. there is an art opening at Pizza Luce for Tonya Borgeson and Emily Herb's Surfacing exhibit.

Borgeson, who is owner of a ceramic studio on Grand Avenue near the zoo call The Snoodle, studied ceramics and sculpture at Indiana State University and is an art instructor at Lake Superior College. I've not only been impressed by her work but by the way she inspires others to press on and explore new directions in their work. Her annual Love at the Snoodle art shows are a mainstay for many local artists.

Emily Herb, whom I keep wanting to call Emily Rose for some reason, is originally from North Dakota. Her love of three-dimensional creative expression no doubt made for a good match with Borgeson's exploration.

Here's Emily's invitation: Come down and see Tonya and my newest creations. Free Food, Free Music, Free Snooty Intellectual Conversation, Free opportunity to throw tomatoes. This exhibit will be up the entire month of November so if you can't make it to the opening reception, be sure to check it out sometime this month!

I ran into the two of them last weekend at an Ochre Ghost opening and learned that Emily is opening another gallery here downtown, which is a pretty exciting step for her and for the evolving art scene here. Tonya would not let me take her photo as she had been working in her studio all day and her clothes were a bit splattered.

Here's a nice little video clip so you can see what Surfacing is really all about. This coming Thursday... check it out.

eNote: Image at top right is my own, titled With Feathers... click expand. Be sure to check out the video.

Who Shot Rock & Roll?

Rock & Roll. Is it only about the music? It's never been just about the music. It's entertainment. And yes, more than that, too.

Now, it's been absorbed into the art scene in a travelling exhibit called "Who Shot Rock & Roll: A Photographic History, 1955 to the Present." First displayed at the Brooklyn Museum of Art, the travelling art show has been making a circuit that includes the Worcester Art Museum in Massachusetts, Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, Akron Art Museum, Columbia Museum of Art, Birmingham Museum of Art, Allentown Art Museum, and Annenberg Space for Photography.

Today the exhibit opens at the Tucson Museum of Art, 140 N. Main Ave.

When you think about it, rock stars probably owe a huge debt to the photographers who captured their images to place them on billboards (the Doors in L.A.), magazine covers ("on the cover of the Rolling Stone") and embed them in our memories. The music has been part of our culture for more than half a century, but its the images that transformed rock superstars into icons of our times.

Hendrix could have played guitar with the same skill without the colorful getup. What if KISS had just worn the clothes they wore to high school? Was Tina Turner's singing approved by her short-skirt shimmy-shine glitterati dresses? That's called entertainment. And the cameras loved it.

For what it's worth, there are more than 180 photographs and videos in the exhibit, demonstrating the power of Rock & Roll and its impact on society. Curator Gail Buckland, the noted photography scholar, assembled the exhibit.

A book featuring even more photos than in the travelling exhibit was published in 2009 by Buckland. Here's a description, followed by excerpts from a review.

More than two hundred spectacular photographs, sensual, luminous, frenzied, true, from 1955 to the present, that catch and define the energy, intoxication, rebellion, and magic of rock and roll; the first book to explore the photographs and the photographers who captured rock’s message of freedom and personal reinvention—and to examine the effect of their pictures on the musicians, the fans, and the culture itself.

The only music photographers whose names are well known are those who themselves have become celebrities. But many of the images that have shaped our consciousness and desire were made by photographers whose names are unfamiliar. Here are Elvis in 1956—not yet mythic but beautiful, tender, vulnerable, sexy, photographed by Alfred Wertheimer . . . Bob Dylan and his girlfriend on a snowy Greenwich Village street, by Don Hunstein . . . John Lennon in a sleeveless New York City T-shirt, by Bob Gruen . . . Jimi Hendrix, by Gered Mankowitz, a photograph that became a poster and was hung on the walls of millions of bedrooms and college dorms . . .

And from Publishers Weekly:
Buckland's visually hypnotic history of rock photography is as much a history of rock as subject as it is of photography. In fact, it is the inseparability of the two that lies at the heart of Buckland's argument. ...the power of the image in the formation and sustenance of rock-and-roll culture from 1955 onward.

Not every reader review of the book is grand, but the power of rock and roll imagery has been undeniable.

Since the images from the travelling exhibit are copyrighted, the images here have been retrieved from the superb collection of Andrew Perfetti's rock and roll images. You can find him on Facebook.

Another AZU affiliate bites the dust...

http://www.pervertedprimates.com/

R.I.P. "Perverted-Primates." I'd also like to point out Rob Taylor abandoned his "Red-Alerts" blog, though that has not been taken down. I doubt anyone cares but it is out there for those needing to know. I almost forgot Lost in Lima, Ohio (Lilo) ran the Perverted Primates Blog. Speaking of Lilo's blog, it looks like he's moved to China years ago (I haven't noticed until now):

http://lostinlimaohio.blogspot.com/

And to think AZU trolls were talking about how the RSO activist sites were on the "decline." Maybe in their own minds.

So it got me wondering about AZU's list of affiliates on their website:

Virtual Global Taskforce -- gone
Stop Child Molesters-- Inactive one year
Vigilant Antis-- Inactive since February 2011, before was July 2010
Corrupted-Justice.net-- Inactive since June 2009
Tampa Pirate.com-- Gone
www.warriorsforinnocence.org -- Inactive since January 2010
Operation SORoarful-- Has been bounced around many times, just like Evil-Unveiled, but consists of nothing more than outdated forum posts mainly by people no longer in SOSEN. Another failed experiment.
PagansAgainstChildAbuse-- inactive
Anti-Paedo-- inactive since June 2009
The Antis-- Inactive since February 2008
I Luv 2 Surf-- 1 post since February 2010

Just who is on the decline?

Yet another To Catch a Predator acquittal leading to another civil suit

I'm wondering just how many of PJ's so-called "convictions," almost all of them from the TCAP show, would be convictions had they been challenged in court. i swiped this from the Corrupted-Justice forums.

http://www.courthousenews.com/2011/10/27/40991.htm

NBC Isn't Off the Hook for Trap on 'Predator'

By WILLIAM DOTINGA 

     (CN) - A man targeted in an episode of NBC's "To Catch a Predator" can proceed with a lawsuit against the network, a federal judge ruled.
     Anurag Tiwari was busted by the show in 2006 after coming to a home with the intention of meeting a 13-year-old girl he met on the Internet. The "girl" was actually an adult decoy used by the show to lure child predators in and around the town of Petaluma, Calif., north of San Francisco.
     Tiwari filed suit against NBC Universal, claiming the network violated his Fourth Amendment rights through actions amounting "to a seizure that intruded on his privacy rights and the seizure was unreasonable because it was conducted 'in a manner to cause humiliation to [Mr Tiwari] with no legitimate law enforcement purpose or objective.'"
     NBC sought relief under the First Amendment, claiming that the show's production and broadcast are intertwined and therefore protected.
     U.S. District Judge Edward Chen disagreed Tuesday, finding that the network has no basis to dismiss since Tiwari's allegations stem from NBC's conduct not its broadcast, which is protected speech.
     The 22 page order also allows Tiwari to claim that NBC violated his right to due process by airing the program before he'd been tried or convicted of a crime. The First Amendment does not "automatically [insulate NBC] from liability," Chen wrote. "At this juncture of the proceedings, the court cannot say that, as a matter of law, the balance in this case weighs in favor of NBC."
     NBC did succeed in striking the defamation portion of Tiwari's complaint because of statute of limitations, but Chen said Tiwari could proceed with his claim of intentional infliction of emotional distress.
     Tiwari was charged with two felony counts stemming from his appearance on "To Catch a Predator," both of which were dismissed. He was eventually charged by the Sonoma County district attorney with two other misdemeanors. He was acquitted of one, and the other was reduced to an infraction when he pleaded no contest in a plea deal in 2010.

Poems for People Who Are Not Into Poetry

A few years ago I was thinking of offering to do a poetry reading at Barnes and Noble called "An Hour of Poetry for People Who Are Not Into It." I like poetry, and since I also write a little verse myself now and then, it seems like it would be nice if more people would like poetry. My aim at the B&N event would be to share poems that connect, in the hopes of introducing people to some fun, thought provoking material which they are not familiar with because it is labelled Poetry.

Like modern art, a lot of poetry is just gobbledy-gook for many folk who only end up scratching their heads. "Why is this a good poem?" some could ask. "What was that all about?" Like opera, some people hear the word and steer clear.

Anyways, I made a list of selections for that hour of entertainment and placed it in a folder on my desktop. I shared it about four years ago and it seemed worth sharing again. If I had more time I would put the links here, but alas... I am on deadline. (I have to get dressed for work.) Check them out. I'm sure they will reward you.

Billy Collins
(selections from Sailing Alone Around the Room)
Aristotle
Another Reason I Don't Keep a Gun in the House
Some Days

Hilaire Belloc
Matilda Who Told Lies and Was Burned

Rilke
(from The Selected Poetry of Rainer Maria Rilke)
The Panther
Autumn Day
Sonnets to Orpheus 1.3 and II. 13

Dorothy Parker
Bric-A-Brac

Robert Browning
How They Brought the Good News from Ghent to Aix

Elizabeth Barrett Browning
Blackberries

Robert Frost
Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Eve

Ed Newman
Wisconsin Misty Morning
Bad Break
Hitchhiking Across Antarctica
High Upon the Wire

Cervantes
Poem from Don Quixote

Dale Wasserman
Lyrics of To Dream the Impossible Dream

Bob Dylan
Only a Pawn in Their Game
Hard Rain’s a-Gonna Fall
It’s Alright Ma (I’m Only Bleedin’)

Enjoy!

James Dearld Graham

James Dearld Graham, 26, of Heavener, OK passed away Tuesday, October 25, 2011 in Poteau, OK. James was born February 12, 1985 in Ft. Smith, AR to James Gearld & Sherry Sue (White) Graham. James was an auto detailer. He was preceded in death by his grandmother, Agnes M. Graham; stepmother, Paula J. Graham, grandfather, Neal White; great grandparents, Rubin & Polly White; grandparents, Elba & Henry T. Rogers; stepfather, Alan McCullough.

Survivors include his mother, Sherry McCullough of Summerfield, OK; father, James Graham of Heavener, OK; 8 brothers & sisters in law, Tim & Julie Graham of San Diego, CA, Jason & Kim Graham of Poteau, OK, Jeff & Jessica Graham of Cleora, OK, Clifford Payne of Poteau, OK, Cody Maxie of Summerfield, OK, Roger & Mary Wooten of Lavaca, AR, Greg Wooten of Ft. Smith, AR, Jeremy & Desiree Wooten of Ft. Smith, AR; 2 sisters & brothers in law, Elizabeth Wilson & Robert of Missouri, Tracy Wilburn & Larry of Ft. Smith, AR;girl friend, Rachel Moore; aunt & uncle, Glenda & Jeff McDaniel; numerous nieces, nephews, other relatives & loved ones; many beloved friends.

Services will be 1 pm, Saturday, October 29, 2011 at Evans Chapel of Memories, Poteau, OK with Rev. Scott Martin officiating. Interment will follow in Page Cemetery, Page, OK. Pallbearers will be Nyles McDaniel, Jeremy Harwell, Chance White, Jason Tyler Graham, Lewis White, Jeff Graham & Jacob Graham

The family will be at the funeral home on Friday evening from 6-8 pm to visit with relatives & friends.

Brandon Reed, Organ & Tissue Donor, Michigan, 1988 -2011

Brandon Reed was an avid disc golfer who loved music and was quick with a laugh. He loved to spend time with children and was known for his kindness.

Brandon died from injuries sustained when the car he was riding struck a tree.

Family members describe Brandon as one that everyone went to when they needed someone to talk to and he loved and was deeply loyal to his family and friends.

Brandon was an organ and tissue donor.  His mother said she finds comfort in thinking of the other lives her son saved.

Paranormal Activity

Last night while driving home after dark I saw a row of lights overhead that seemed to be hovering. It was an airplane slowly descending for the airport nearby. But it seemed to be going so slow it was startling to me that it kept huffing forward and didn’t just fall out of the sky. I know from my travels that there’s a huge amount of mass there with all the metal and luggage and people on board. How do planes stay up there like that? Actually, it’s just a matter of physics… which most of us hardly understand so that ultimately becomes a matter of trust when you're one of the passengers.

The same with ocean liners and cruise ships. Look how massive these things are, yet instead of sinking they float. How does that work? The answer again is physics.

We don’t really have to understand physics to appreciate its benefits. Air transportation, cruise ship vacations, space travel… the scientists of our world have done the hard part, and we just appreciate the outcomes.

There are a lot of mysteries in the world. Why is some matter alive and other matter not? Where is the line between living and non-living? Even simple things like intelligence… where is the line between thinking and and non-thinking beings? For example, humans have a brain, so do dogs, and on down the chain till certain living creatures seem non-thinking but react to stimuli.

What about black holes? Who can understand that mystery? And all the mysteries surrounding UFOs. The stories are endless. What do all those testimonials of inexplicable lights amount to? What’s really under wraps in Area 51?

When I was a kid my grandmother had quite a few books about some of these things. There was one called Stranger Than Science (or something like that) which I read more than once. It had stories about mysterious sightings that were explained away as swamp gas and other natural phenomena, but came with too many unanswered questions.

My grandmother’s interest in these things was in part due to an out-of-body experience she’d had while on the operating table after a stroke. She hovered over the room and watched what she believed was twenty minutes of a surgery, doctors and nurses animated and fully engaged. The experience led to a quest which included read books outside the norm by people like Dr. Elizabeth Kubler-Ross and the Edgar Cayce Institute.

While in college she and I used to talk about these things in great detail. She shared with me papers about the remarkable mysteries of the Great Pyramid and stories about research that the Soviets were doing on psychokinesis, mind over matter.

These were undoubtedly some of the reasons I became interested in paranormal activity at an early age. What were the limits of mind power? How much have we lost through lack of its exercise?

I myself had an out-of-body experience once in which I, in an inexplicable way, was transported to another part of the campus when in college and overheard a conversation. I've known a few others with experiences not possible to explain with our normal scientific approach to things. Crackpots? I don’t know.

Anyways, these experiences and others which I don’t have time to detail here are part of the background for many of the short stories recorded in my two volumes of short stories titled Unremembered Histories and Newmanesque. There’s more to life than you can probably imagine. Modern scientists spend lifetimes trying to grasp it. Instead, I point to the cloud of unknowing and invite readers to climb the stairway. Or something like that anyway.

Make the most of your day. And take a minute to see if you can lift something heavy with your mind.

Harriett Williams

Harriett June Williams, 88 of Cameron, OK passed away Saturday, October 22, 2011 in Poteau, OK. Harriett was born August 5, 1923 in Sawtelle, CA to Andrew Harry & Lottie Nora (Szymanski) Hoak. She was an accountant. Harriett was preceded in death by her parents; sons, Andrew Pierce & Harry Pierce Williams; and brother, Andy Hoak.

Survivors include her husband, Jack L. Williams of the home; son, Curtis Pierce Williams of Estes Park, CO; 5 grandchildren, Michael Pierce, John Michael Pierce, Sean Patrick Pierce, Chimene Victoria Pierce, Andreanna Nicole Pierce; 9 great grandchildren; 3 great great grandchildren; other relatives & loved ones; many beloved friends.

No services are scheduled at this time.

Terry Lee Brown

Terry Lee Brown, 41, of Cameron, OK passed away Saturday, October 22, 2011 in Cameron, OK. Terry was born July 7, 1970 in Ft. Smith, AR to James H. & Diane (Poole) Brown. He was preceded in death by his grandmother, Rena Poole.

Survivors include his sons, Nick Brown & Tristan Brown of Ft. Smith, AR; mother, Diane Lemaster of Ft. Smith, AR; father, James H. Brown of Cameron, OK; maternal grandfather, Porter Poole of Spiro, OK; paternal grandparents, James S. Jr. & Lois Brown of Cameron, OK; numerous cousins; other relatives & loved ones; many beloved friends.

Services will be 7 pm, Thursday, October 27, 2011 at Evans Memorial Chapel in Pocola, OK with Bro. Mo Wilson officiating. Pallbearers will be Nick Brown, Tristan Brown, Ronny Brown, James Brown, Sam Hodges, & Chad Scott.

The family will be at the funeral home in Pocola on Thursday evening before the service from 5-7 pm to visit with relatives & friends.

Michael Perry, Transplant Recipient, Transplant Community Columbia, Missouri 1945-2011

Michael Clinton Perry, M.D., 66, of Columbia passed away Oct. 23, 2011, in Columbia after a long and courageous battle with polycystic kidney disease and cancer.

Michael was born Jan. 27, 1945, in Wyandotte, Mich., the son of Clarence Clinton and Hilda Grace Perry. As a teenager, he broke his arm, and after discussing career options with the attending physician, decided to change his career goal from that of pharmacist to physician.

He earned a bachelor's degree in liberal arts from Wayne State University in Detroit, where in a French class he met the woman who would later become his wife, Nancy Ann Kaluzny. He went on to attend medical school at Wayne State, earning a medical doctor degree in 1970. He also earned a master of science in medicine from the University of Minnesota in 1975.

He married Nancy on June 22, 1968, and they moved to Minnesota so he could complete his internship and residency at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester. He completed a fellowship in hematology and oncology at Mayo and served as an instructor of medicine there before moving to Columbia in 1975 to become an assistant professor of hematology and medical oncology at the University of Missouri-Columbia, where he would spend his professional career.

He became the director of the division of hematology and medical oncology at the University Hospital in 1982. He served as chairman of the department of medicine from 1983 to 1991, becoming full professor in 1985 and serving as senior associate dean of the department of medicine from 1991 to 1994. At Ellis Fischel Cancer Center, he became medical director and associate cancer center director for clinical and translational research. He served as medical director of clinical trials for the Institute for Clinical and Translational Sciences at the University Hospitals and Clinics since 2008. He became a professor emeritus in 2010.

Among his many awards and honors included the University of Missouri Faculty Alumni Award, the Nellie B. Smith Chair of Oncology, the Distinguished Alumni Award from Wayne State University Medical School, the Distinguished Southern Oncologist from the Southern Association for Oncology, the Physician of the Year from Boone County Medical Society, Master of the American College of Physicians, the American Society of Clinical Oncology Statesman Award, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Advisory Committee Service Award. He was frequently named one of the Best Doctors in America and included in America's Top Doctors.

In addition to his many accolades, he was a member of professional societies including the American Medical Association and the Missouri State Medical Society. He served in leadership positions in many of these societies, including as president of the Boone County Medical Society, president of the Southern Association for Oncology and on the board of directors for the American Society of Clinical Oncology. He also was chair of the State of Missouri Organ Donor Advisory Committee. At the national level, he was a member of the Federal Drug Administration Oncology Drug Advisory Committee. He was dedicated to the Cancer and Leukemia Group B (CALGB), a national NCI-designated clinical research group, and served as chair of the membership committee for more than 30 years.

During his career he published more than 150 research papers, nearly 50 book chapters and presented more than 100 abstracts at conferences. He was the editor of the books Toxicity of Chemotherapy and The Chemotherapy Source Book, both of which are widely-used and respected manuals in the field. He also held editorial positions at many distinguished journals, from the Journal of Clinical Oncology to Contemporary Oncology.

More than his many awards and accolades, he was much respected and beloved by his oncology patients and gave them the best care possible. He was a dedicated clinician and physician, and took great pride in his research, profession and in the training of future physicians. He also was a supporter of organ donation, and celebrated the 20th anniversary of his kidney transplant in July 2011.

Michael had a great passion for collecting baseball cards, a hobby he began in his youth, and enjoyed teaching a course on the history of baseball for the Honors College at MU. His favorite team was his hometown Detroit Tigers. He had a great love of reading, including to his granddaughters, and consumed books on a variety of topics. He also loved his golden retrievers, from Candy to Ginger, and his classic Thunderbird convertible, which was driven in parades and for weddings. He was a longtime member of Missouri United Methodist Church in Columbia.

Most of all, he will be lovingly remembered by his family, wife, Nancy; daughter, Rebecca Perry Magniant, husband Stanislas "Stan" and daughters Lucie and Charlotte, all of Paris, France; and daughter, Katherine "Katie" Perry Harris, husband Jeff and daughter Grace, all of Columbia. He also is survived by a brother, Paul Perry of Taylor, Mich., and numerous nieces and nephews.

Harriet Fallon Kearns Coleman

Harriet Fallon Kearns Coleman, 95, of Summerfield, OK passed away Friday, October 21, 2011 in Grand Rapids, MI. Harriet was born February 11, 1916 in Francis, OK to James Hiram & Bessie Idell (Fallon) Kearns; the youngest of her sisters, Nellie Idell, Grace Elizabeth, & Ruth Eleanor, all deceased. Harriet graduated from East Central State University in Ada, OK in 1937, then from the University of Oklahoma in Norman, OK in 1939.

She taught school in Ada for four years, LeFlore, OK for eleven years & Talihina, OK for 15 years. She was married for 37 years to Hershal Augusta Coleman, who died in 1984. Harriet volunteered at 9 years old as a babysitter. As an adult, she volunteered as a Future Homemakers of America Leader, at Talimena Drive Information Center, Poteau Hospital Auxiliary, Kerr Center, Carl Albert Community College, and LeFlore Elementary School. She was a member of the Campfire Girls of America as a child. She was a member of Busy Bees Quilting Club for 30 years, Tri-Sigma Sorority for 70 years, and the Methodist Church for all of her life. Harriet tickled family members and innumerable friends with her spunk, wit, generosity, and enthralling stories.

She is survived by her sons, Charles of Norman, OK, Richard (Cindy) of Grand Rapids, MI; niece, Ellen Lee of Tulsa, OK and grandchildren, Iris and Adam of Grand Rapids, MI.

Michigan family and friends visited in Harriet’s honor on Monday, October 24, 2011, at the home of Richard & Cindy Coleman from 6-8 pm. Oklahoma family and friends will memorialize Harriet at Evans & Miller Funeral Home, Poteau, OK at 10 am, Tuesday, April 3, 2012, followed by lunch at Summerfield Community Center, hosted by family and the Busy Bee Quilting Club.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation, in Harriet’s memory, to Summerfield Community Center Busy Bee Club, 34518 Reichert-Summerfield Rd., Wister, OK 74966.

Wordless Wednesday

Images by Randy Jarvis and Barry Opatz.
See yesterday's story on their Abstract Wonderland.

A Foretaste of Abstract Wonderland

They met in second grade in Little Falls, MN and have been friends for a lifetime. As young adults both served their country, Barry Opatz in Viet Nam and Randy Jarvis in the MN National Guard. Barry was introduced to 35mm cameras in Nam and shared his photography interest with his friend. While their life paths were divergent their friendship never diminished, especially their mutual interest in photography. Though they lived in different states they enjoyed those opportunities when they could share their pictures with one another.

One day Randy called to tell Barry about this amazing place he’d found. “He called it an ‘abstract wonderland.’” Barry says. “After he emailed me samples I knew a photo trip was in the works.”

They shot together over a weekend. “As we shared the resulting images with people the response was very positive which led to a gallery show and a photo book I put together on Blurb. This is a joint project so we share in our efforts to get this work out there for people to enjoy, and of course the investment.”

The project can best be described as a combination of "found art" and imagination. The site was a mother lode of fabulous images. Randy said that it was amazing to find so many great images and shots within such a finite space.

I have been sworn to secrecy as regards the location somewhere here in the upper Midwest, an old rail yard with train cars in various stages of disrepair. These two friends spent three sessions on the site and produced more than a thousand fabulous images.

Today over lunch I held in my hands the book they produced. It’s a bit expensive per copy but they’re working on finding a way to reduce expenses so they can sell copies to the many people who have expressed interest.

“The magic seems to be that everyone sees something different in each image. It's a self discovery type experience.”

If this project interests you, send a note to randyjarvis at centurytel dot net or bopatz2 at charter dot net. It’s a great story and their work is indeed magical.

Upper right: Barry Opatz (L) and Randy Jarvis (R)
Tomorrow I will share several more images here.

Heartfelt Felt Hearts

Has your November issue of Viking arrived? When it does, you'll notice that the annual holiday gift guide has an alternative twist this year. "Gifts from the Heart" emphasizes simple gifts with special meaning, whether its a handmade item, a donation to a charitable cause or a heritage-inspired present.

Special thanks goes to my husband, Doug, and son, Halvor, who made the hand-felted heart ornaments featured on the November cover. You can make them, too! Check out Doug's step-by-step instructions here.

Looking for more heartfelt gift ideas? You'll find them in the November issue of Viking!

Amy Boxrud is editor of Viking magazine. She lives with her family in Northfield, Minn., where she’s a member of Nordmarka 1-585.

The Breaking Point

In psychology, the breaking point is a critical moment of personal stress. What are the events that bring people to this point? How do circumstances conspire to shatter the foundations we build our lives upon?

We live in a culture that dislikes exploring the root causes of a nervous breakdown or suicide. We talk in hushed tones about these aberrations of behavior, if we talk about them at all. Usually it is something careful. "That's too bad what happened to Bill. I never saw it coming."

All the drama in many peoples' lives is on the inside. We see blank expressions or listlessness, but there's a cauldron inside and occasionally it bubbles over into actions others do take notice of. "I never knew... He always seemed like such a nice guy."

This summer I set out to prepare four books for publication, massaging half a lifetime of writings into a set of eBooks to be sold on Kindle and Nook. Three are now published. This past weekend I began assembling the fourth, The Breaking Point and Other Stories. With the exception of the light-hearted and anecdotal Liz Mills, the stories in this volume have internal upheaval as their common thread.

The Breaking Point, 1991 winner of the Arrowhead Regional Arts Fiction Competition, features the emotions, expectations, illusions and delusions of mundane characters. In the midst of their ordinary lives there is an extraordinary event.

I wrote For One Night of Love after reading a story by French author Emile Zola. Though the story focuses on the development of a character named Jeremy, it is actually terminates at another's breaking point.

Episode on South Street was written after reading a non-fiction book on obsessive-compulsive behavior. The character is an artist and good Samaritan type with an unusual disposition, driven by his own inner demons and good intentions. This story was translated into a short film that was shown at the Erie Horror/Suspense Film Festival in 2004.

A Brief Transaction is essentially a scene, a moment in time. Like some of the others here it is characterized by the ordinariness that permeates life's surfaces. The internal scenery is altogether different.

The Breaking Point and other stories will be available in early-to-mid November, if not sooner. If interested in my other collections of stories, click on the book covers to your right here at this blog. Unremembered Histories has a paranormal feature at the center of its stories. The common thread of the stories in Newmanesque is akin to the signature twist that occurs in many of my drawings and paintings. The Red Scorpion, published last month, was my first novel.

Note: When you go to Amazon.com you can read the beginnings of these volumes free. But why stop there?

Dylan Paintings Stimulate Controversies

The lead story at ExpectingRain.com today is an article by photo critic and historian A. D. Coleman with regards to the problems raised by Bob Dylan's paintings on display in New York at the Gagosian. Today's Coleman piece was written after having visited the gallery and seen the works in person. It's a detailed assessment of the work and the contentious issues surrounding this show.

There are several areas of controversy. First, is Dylan's visual art worthy of such respected venues for display or is the relevance of his art due only to the fact that he is Dylan? The more serious issue stems from whether Dylan painted from photographs or from observation of real life, which becomes a controversy only when you compare the show's promotional materials (painted from scenes on his trips) to the facts of the case. Like myself, he often uses photos as a basis for the work.

Finally, the biggest issue has to do with doing paintings based on photos where someone else owns the copyright.

I first became aware of this problem when I noted that among the superfine works of crayon artist Don Marco is a reproduction of a well-known John Wayne photo. The artwork was done with Crayola TM but technically this is a copyright violation and an ethical matter.

Frankly, I don't know where the lines are on this issue, however. I've done 30 or more paintings and drawings of Dylan myself, mostly based on images others have taken. My one attempt to contact Dylan's agent in order to shoot original photos myself went no where, as you would guess.

My personal workaround, when doing many of my paintings of public figures, is to shoot my original photos from off my monitor while watching a DVD. Ack! This is probably a violation of the film makers' copyright.

Well, if you have a little time, check out A. D. Coleman's Bob Dylan: The Painter and the Photograph (3). Be sure to follow all the links because they will take you to some interesting places and spaces.

"Meantime, life goes on all around you." Have a good one.

Bob Dylan's Dream

About two months ago I got a new (used) car, and it has temporarily changed my lifestyle. The reason being is that it does not have a CD player so that I have been listening to the radio. It's probably a good cultural experience, listening to what people are talking about, and to the music that is airing these days after ten years of audio books.

One thing I noticed the other day while listening to a music station, there aren't a lot of song writers with the lyrical pen Dylan brought to the music scene five decades ago. That's probably harsh, but one song during yesterday's morning commute just made me cringe with its predictability and lack of originality. The song's only real value was the offering up of a simple tune with modern high-tech production values. It was sung by a guy whose name people know, and he's probably made money singing so he's happy. But what a yawner compared to the depth and melancholy connection that a Dylan transfusion offers.

This example may appear simple, but there is more to the song as it unfolds, and the endgame is a real payoff.

Bob Dylan's Dream

While riding on a train goin’ west
I fell asleep for to take my rest
I dreamed a dream that made me sad
Concerning myself and the first few friends I had

With half-damp eyes I stared to the room
Where my friends and I spent many an afternoon
Where we together weathered many a storm
Laughin’ and singin’ till the early hours of the morn

By the old wooden stove where our hats was hung
Our words were told, our songs were sung
Where we longed for nothin’ and were quite satisfied
Talkin’ and a-jokin’ about the world outside

With haunted hearts through the heat and cold
We never thought we could ever get old
We thought we could sit forever in fun
But our chances really was a million to one

As easy it was to tell black from white
It was all that easy to tell wrong from right
And our choices were few and the thought never hit
That the one road we traveled would ever shatter and split

How many a year has passed and gone
And many a gamble has been lost and won
And many a road taken by many a friend
And each one I’ve never seen again

I wish, I wish, I wish in vain
That we could sit simply in that room again
Ten thousand dollars at the drop of a hat
I’d give it all gladly if our lives could be like that

Copyright © 1963, 1964 by Warner Bros. Inc.; renewed 1991, 1992 by Special Rider Music

Tammy Lou Bowers

Tammy Lou Bowers, 48, of Panama, OK passed away Thursday, October 20, 2011 in Fort Smith, AR. Tammy was born August 12, 1963 in El Paso, TX to Paul & Audrey Opal (Eatmon) Bowers. She was employed at the Panama Tote a Poke. She was preceded in death by her father; sister, Julie Emmert; and her grandparents, John & Annie Dell Eatmon.

Survivors include her daughter Emily Tedder of the home; loving companion, Richie Tedder of Panama, OK; mother, Audrey Opal Bowers of Buck Creek, OK; 3 sisters, Ginger Esparza of Las Cruces, NM, Pam Paul of Hackett, AR, Debbie Meredith of Panama, OK; aunts, Ocie Hale of Spiro, OK, Velta Eatmon of Buck Creek, OK; numerous cousins, nieces, nephews, other relatives & loved ones; many beloved friends.

Services will be 2 pm, Monday, October 24, 2011 at Evans Chapel of Memories, Poteau, OK with Rev. Tim Painter officiating. Interment will follow in Shady Point Cemetery, Shady Point, OK. Pallbearers will be Jerimy Emmert, Jason Meredith, Mack McCormick, Kyle Pierce, Buddy Cantrell, Randy Tedder. Family & friends will be at the funeral home Sunday afternoon from 2-4 pm.

Red Interactive: The Movie

Last night's Intersections event was very special, and once again totally engaging. Time will not permit a fair accounting of the evening in such a short space of time, but here is a film that captures the essence of our Red Interactive open house in September. Check in and check it out.

Photo: Co-collaborator John Heino during our setup in the New York Building, Superior.

Red is the Color

In 2010 the color of the year was red. Or rather, the color that created the most buzz was red, as in the multiple-award-winning play that hit Broadway on the life and work of Mark Rothko, titled Red. As it turns out, the two-man Broadway show has been sweeping the theater scene and capturing audiences across the country.

A September NYTimes article, When The Color Is Primary, focuses on the artwork used to promote these various performances. Whether by means of illustrations, paintings or photographs, artists used imagination in as many variations as there are shades of red, from cherry, magenta and rose to auburn, burgundy and rust. The variety is fascinating, and more so if you're familiar with the abstract color fields Rothko poured his soul into.

While looking for this article online I came across a review of the play, which in some ways reminded me of My Dinner With Andre, another two-man play that got strong reviews from critics. I myself enjoyed both the book and film based on that particular play, but your head has to be in the right place. It's an intellectual stroll quite different from Transformers, Reservoir Dogs or Kill Bill.

The 2010 Times review begins like this:

Even before you see his eyes, you’re aware of the force of his gaze. Portraying the artist Mark Rothko, Alfred Molina sits with his back to the audience at the beginning of “Red,” John Logan’s intense and exciting two-character bio-drama, which opened on Thursday night at the Golden Theater. Yet the set of his neck and shoulders makes it clear that he is staring hard and hungrily, locked in visual communion with the object before him.

Ben Brantley's Primary Colors and Abstract Appetites makes for a good intro to John Logan's two-man drama. For even more drama, read the readers' reviews.

On another topic with a red alert, tonight the Red Interactive gallery will again be opened to the public at 1410 Tower Avenue in Superior. On the docket is a multi-gallery event featuring the art environments in downtown Superior, an expression of the Phantom Galleries Superior. There will be a reception, walking tours, music and even a Tango dance lesson. Featured artists include Kathy McTavish, Sheila Packa, Erik Pearson and the Red Interactive collaboration of John Heino and Ed Newman. Doors will be open from 5:00-9:00 p.m.

Come celebrate with us.

Cincinnati City Councilwoman takes a page out of the Perverted-Justice playbook

This entry has nothing to do with sex offender issues. However, I've had my own personal experience with a certain local councilwoman so this story is still a perfect fit for this blob since it involves cyberbullying. This is, after all, a cyber-crime blog.

Like many other cities, Cincinnati has an "Occupy" movement camp. I haven't been a part of it, more the casual observer, but I support their efforts. Despite whether you agree with them or not, they are for the most part protected by the US Constitution.

 One of the biggest critics of the local Occupy movement is my old evil bitchy pigheaded bimbo nemesis, er, "friend" Leslie Ghiz, who just happens to be running for re-election. As a local rich powerful pol in this fair town, she's not happy at the Occupy movement, which has taken to protesting in Piatt/ Garfield park, which apparently is just outside her richy rich law office. So instead of catering to her constituents, she's decided to borrow the Perverted-Justice playbook and published the addresses of some of those in the Occupy Movement:

There is no other reason to do such a thing unless she intends to bring harm upon those she does not agreement. For those of you who have stumbled upon this article and wondering what's the big deal, just read some of my articles here. I've been harassed, threatened, and attacked from crazy individuals thanks in part from public disclosure of my address, along with reports tying me to stuff that's not true (kind of like the stereotype Occupiers are all lazy jobless hippies). Hell, that's the reason I created this blog in the first place.


There was already one attack against a peaceful protestor in Cincinnati recently. I'm pretty sure Ghiz cheered that one.


But in case you need more proof, check out this ABC News video:

http://youtu.be/XCeEMVMtrL8



Yup, I just compared Leslie Ghiz with Petra Looney, hell, they look alike, act alike, and I bet they even have that same goofy laugh. To paraphrase Mr. Stossel, Leslie Ghiz, I think you're a BULLY!

I know at least one woman I'll NOT be voting for this election.

PS-- Leslie Ghiz, if you are reading this, feel free to publish my address. I'm waiting for any excuse to drag you to court as it is :)

Mildred Nadine (Butler) Price

Mildred Nadine (Butler) Price, 87, Lake Worth, FL (formerly of Poteau, OK) passed away October 14, 2011 in Florida. Mildred was born in Poteau on August 10, 1924 and graduated from Poteau High School in 1942.

She is survived by her husband, Jim Price; sons, Jeff & Chris Price; sisters, Irene Bennett, Bettye Greene, Kate Cooper; & brother, Billy Earl Butler.

Services will be 2 pm, Saturday, October 22, 2011 at Vaughn Cemetery, Gilmore, OK.

Kathryn Sue Patterson

Kathryn Sue Patterson of Poteau, OK passed away Tuesday, October 18, 2011 in Poteau. Kathryn was born to Charles Newton & Bessie Ellen (Star) McKinney. She was a business owner of a café in Poteau where she worked for years. She was retired from St. Edwards Mercy Medical Center in Fort Smith, AR. Kathryn was preceded in death by her parents, brothers, Leslie & Archey McKinney; sisters, Wilma Ketchum & Wanda Wilson.

Survivors include her daughters, Kaye Reade of Kansas, Pamela Benson of Poteau, Terri Foster of Stilwell; Sons, Dwayne Easton of Pocola, James Patterson of Greenwood, AR; 8 grandchildren, Joshua, Heather Ashley, Jonce Caleb, Coty Beth, Holly Bess, Michael Tanner, Tori Elizabeth, Kevin, & Shelby; 2 great grandchildren, Kayla Hope & Gabriel Ethen; brother, Wesley McKinney of Monroe, OK; numerous nieces and nephews, other relatives & loved ones; many beloved friends.

There will be a private family service at Monroe Cemetery, Monroe, OK with Rev. Jim Cook officiating. Interment will follow. The family will be at the funeral home on Thursday evening from 6-8 pm to visit with relatives & friends.

Cold Recall Opens with a Royal Flourish

Tuesday of this week was a big day because it marked the official opening of a new exhibit, Cold Recall: Reflections of a Polar Explorer, at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport and Their Majesties King Harald V and Queen Sonja were on hand to kick off the exhibit in royal style.

The exhibit, which details Roald Amundsen’s historic expedition to the South Pole, is on display through November 14th and is expected to be viewed by more than 6 million visitors during its stay.
   
In addition to Their Majesties, the audience for the opening included modern polar explorers Will Steger, Liv Arnesen and Ann Bancroft, who each gave a presentation, and Sons of Norway CEO, Eivind Heiberg and International Board members. There's a great story about the event here and here.

This is the first time the exhibit has been shown in the United States and has been a project that Sons of Norway has been working on, in partnership with the Honorary Royal Norwegian Consulate, Destination Bloomington and the Airport Foundation MS, for a number of months.

If you are planning on traveling through the Minneapolis-St. Paul airport before November 14th, take a few minutes and detour to Concourse C to view the full exhibit in all its glory. If, however, you don't have any travel plans, you can view a PDF of the exhibit here. It's very informative and tells a story in Amundsen's own words about the reality of exploration in the early 20th century.

About the exhibit:
Norwegian Roald Amundsen led the historic featured expedition from 1910 to 1912. In addition to illustrating the challenges of arctic exploration in the early 20th Century, the display also provides a unique look at the daily lives of polar explorers. There is no admission charge for the exhibit; however it is located past the terminal’s security checkpoints, so access is limited to ticketed passengers.

The exhibit, purchased by the Royal Norwegian Embassy and on loan until November 14th, is being displayed as part of the airport’s Arts and Culture Program, which is administered by the Airport Foundation MSP, a non-profit organization dedicated to enhancing travelers’ airport experience. The exhibit was secured through with a partnership between the Honorary Royal Norwegian Consulate, Sons of Norway (a Norwegian-American fraternal life insurance organization dedicated to preserving Norwegian Heritage and Culture), Destination Bloomington and the Airport Foundation MSP. This is the first time the exhibit has appeared in the United States.

Five More Minutes Multi-media artist Tonja Sell

Last week I shared some of multi-media artist Tonja Sell's work. I still had more questions for her, including where others can find her work and see it in person. She graciously replied.

Ennyman: Your work has wonderful layers of color. How did your father’s craft influence this aspect of your work?

Tonja Sell: My father began glass blowing in the mid 60's in Superior, WI. After his hand-built equipment was vandalized and ruined it went on the shelf for many years. He resumed glass-blowing during my last year of high school. I went to college in Milwaukee and only returned home for the summers so I really wasn't a part of the early stages of the developmental process. After college I moved to Arizona for 6 years.

So glass wasn't an early artistic influence but has become one in more recent years. As you walk into the Oulu Glass Gallery you are met with an explosion of color, caught up in a commotion of color and pattern. It cannot help but affect you. I have seen how my work has changed, particularly in color intensity and with the incorporation of pattern, likely an influence of the exposure to the glass blowing process.

I have done little glass-blowing myself but very much enjoy watching my father and children explore the process. It really is mesmerizing. My father began building in the early 70's and lives and works in the home/studio he designed and built. In the early 90's my husband and I designed and built next door. In the early 2000's my brother designed and has begun building nearby as well. Altogether our three families are living on an 80 acre "compound" as it is lovingly referred to. My brother is an artist in Brooklyn, NY and only returns home seasonally.

E: What prompted you to begin incorporating a multi-media approach to your work?

TS: Mixed media has always appealed to me. I tend to become impatient quickly while working on just one thing or with just one medium. I commonly work on several very different things at once. I love the "feel" of work and working, the tactile experience. So often when I am working on something flat-- a painting or drawing -- I will leave it for a while and work on another project that requires more "construction", like felting or fused glass, where I can cut and grind pieces and do bead work, etc... Until recently I kept those things very separate but now am wanting to learn to combine them. Mixed media makes sense for me.

I have had the urge to work sculptural for a long time but haven't had the time or space to devote to the development of it. I am about to take a ceramic sculpture workshop given by Robin Murphy through the Duluth Art Institute. I am looking forward to learning the technicalities of creating larger ceramic pieces. I love learning new things. I want to learn everything I can about everything I can!

E: What are some of the materials you have incorporated into these pieces?

TS: I have experimented with cloth, metal, bead work as seen in "Waterways" (right) Metal, glass and painting shown in the hanging panels and sculptural lamp. Metal overlay on painted canvas (image included). Ceramic and glass and most recently layering paper and fabric onto drawing surfaces and canvas.

E: We met at the Park Point Art Fair. Where else do you show your work? Can people see more of your paintings and constructions online?
TS: The Park Point Art Fair is a very enjoyable fair to participate in. Artists are treated well and it is well attended even in fickle weather. It is close to my home which makes it easy to stay faithful to. Beyond that I rarely participate in art festivals.

I have recently rejoined the Art Resources Galleries in Minneapolis and Edina, MN. My work can be purchased at AR at the International Market Square and the AR Galleria, Edina. I have a couple websites I am creating to showcase my work. I show work in process there, things I am working on currently as well as older work. Some is available for purchase there before it makes its way to the Twin Cities.

www.eclectica.webnode.com
www.tonja-sell.webnode.com
www.artistsites/tonjasell.com

I am a member of the Chequamegon Bay Arts Council and was given the top award at "The Gathering", a show being held currently at the Washburn Historical Society.

Elah's Ballet (award winner) and Sentry (owl pair) are on display and for sale there.

I have a few things available at the Bayfield Artist's Guild in Bayfield, WI seasonally. I am currently looking for a local venue where my work would fit.

For best enjoyment, click images to enlarge.

Jenelle Li'Naye Boyette, Organ Donor, 1984-2011

Jenelle Li’Naye “Jaye” Boyette, 27, of Hampton, Va., died Thursday, Oct, 13, 2011, at her residence. She was a native of Suffolk, Va., and the daughter of Barbara Boyette Johnson and the late Howard Sharpe Jr. She was also preceded in death by her stepfather, Bishop Maurice L. Johnson Jr.

She was a 2002 graduate of Lakeland High School with honors. She was in the National Honor Society. She was noted in Who’s Who Among American High School Students and received the Presidential Award for honor roll. She graduated from Old Dominion University in 2007 with a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration with a minor in finance and was presently working on a second degree at ODU in accounting. She was employed in York County as an accountant. She was a member of Gates of Heaven COGIC. Jenelle was the treasurer of Relay for Life for two years, a blood and organ donor.

.

Not again! Vigilante thug gets only 11 months for vehicular assault

Yet another vigilante scumbag gets off with little time served. This person deserved a lot longer than 11 months for attempted vehicular homicide. 'm sure the losers at Absolute Zero United will be cheering this one. 

http://www2.timesdispatch.com/news/2011/oct/17/no-new-jail-time-hopewell-sex-offender-hit-and-run-ar-1388324/

No new jail time in Hopewell sex offender hit-and-run case

HOPEWELL _ A 20-year-old man accused of trying to run over a convicted sex offender as he fled on a moped entered a plea today that calls for no additional jail time, an agreement that was angrily denounced by the victim.

Daniel R. Narron of Hopewell pleaded guilty in Hopewell Circuit Court to attempted unlawful wounding, a felony, and to disorderly conduct and hit and run, both misdemeanors.

Approving the terms of the agreement, Judge Samuel E. Campbell sentenced Narron to five years for the felony and 12 months for each misdemeanor charge, but the judge suspended all of the jail time. Narron, who has spent about 11 months in jail, was expected to be released today.

Also today, three co-defendants entered pleas to misdemeanor charges of disorderly conduct and failure to report an accident. Each was convicted and told the charges would be dismissed after one year if the defendants remain on good behavior.

Those defendants are Damon J. Silvestro of Colonial Heights and Eric B. Harris and Thomas W. McCall, both of Hopewell.

After today’s proceedings, the victim in the case, Rudolph Ellis, 54, criticized the plea agreement for Narron, saying, “I was running for my life. That young man tried to kill me. This whole thing is a joke.”

Ellis also excoriated the Hopewell Police Department, saying they refused to pursue an investigation and that officers had harassed him.

Hopewell Commonwealth’s Attorney Rick Newman said after the hearing that he turned over the investigation to Virginia State Police because “the police department didn’t do anything.”

Asked if he knew why the police took no action, Newman said, “I have no idea.”

The incident occurred Oct. 16, 2010. Since then, Hopewell has hired a new police chief, John Keohane, a former high-ranking Richmond police official. The former chief, Steven D. Martin, had a contentious relationship with Newman.

A phone message left at the police department today was not immediately returned.

Ellis has testified that he was confronted at a convenience store and that, after cursing back, he left on his moped and soon found himself being chased by Narron and his three companions.

At one point, Ellis darted through some trees and behind a house in an effort to lose them, but his pursuers didn't give up, he said. As Ellis darted across Hill Avenue to get to a friend's house, he said, his moped was struck from behind and he fell to the ground uninjured. The suspects then drove away, he said.

Narron’s attorney, James Maloney, told the judge today that Narron had only been trying to scare Ellis and had not meant to strike him. He said the moped had shot out from behind a house in front of Narron’s vehicle.

“He has never been in trouble before this,” Maloney said of his client.

The attorney added that the incident represents a momentary, alcohol-fueled lapse in judgment and that Narron has taken full responsibility for his actions.