As the Truth sees it…

Last week Tiger Woods was in a one-car wreck at 2:45 a.m. in which he hit a tree and a fire hydrant. Alcohol are drugs were ruled out as a cause. Right there is where Woods would like the story to end. However, in our world of round-the-clock celebrity watching, he of all people should know that’s impossible.
Along with rumors connecting Tiger with a New York club hostess, the Florida highway patrol is asking for a search warrant to see Tiger’s hospital records to determine if the injuries he sustained were from the wreck or spousal abuse have forced Woods to release a statement asking the public for privacy in the matter.
“This is a private matter and I want to keep it that way,” Woods said. “Although I understand there is curiosity, the many false, unfounded and malicious rumors that are currently circulating about my family and me are irresponsible. I appreciate all the concern and well wishes that we have received,” the statement concluded. “But, I would also ask for some understanding that my family and I deserve some privacy no matter how intrusive some people can be.”
I have always said you can’t pick and choose when you want to be a public figure. If you are willing to talk to the media and receive accolades during the good times, you have to be able to go in front of the press and tell your story in the uncomfortable moments. As of right now, it looks like Tiger is not planning to do that.
I agree he has every right as an American citizen to not want to talk to the media, police or anyone about whatever happened the night of the crash. I am sure I would want to take the same stance.
But the question is, does someone of Tiger’s stature deserve the same right to privacy as regular people? Would you expect the same treatment he is asking for if you were in his NIKE shoes?
Michael Kinney

When I was trying to think about what I would write for my last blog before Thanksgiving, I didn’t know which way to go. It was either name of my top 5 things to do on Thanksgiving, tell my favorite Thanksgiving memory or explain why the holiday is a commercial creation for grocery stores to make money.
I decided to just go with some of the things I am most thankful for. In no particular order:
1. I have a job that allows me to speak my mind.
2. No matter how upset people get with what I write, they return to see what I say next.
3. My family is alive and well, but never ask me for money.
4. My 25-year plan to own a DeLorean like the one in “Back to the Future” is still intact.
5. I am not related to Bernard Madoff, Sarah Palin, Lady Gaga, Sammy Sosa, Glenn Beck or Tim Tebow.
6. I am almost cured of my fear of dogs and hot sauce.
7. I never had a Jheri Curl.
8. Women do not find me totally displeasing.
9. The Dallas Cowboys and L.A. Lakers both have shots to win world titles in the next nine months.
10. I didn’t jump off a bridge when Oklahoma lost to Miami, Texas and Texas Tech in the same season.
What are you thankful for?
Michael Kinney

What is “New Moon”? That was my only response when I was asked if I had seen the nation’s top grossing movie this weekend. I Literally had no clue what it was until someone told me it was the sequel to :”Twilight”. Even then it took me a minute to remember that Twilight was the garbage flick that came out last year about a group of tween vampires looking for love.
After that, I almost got offended I was even asked if I had seen “New Moon.” I wanted to ask them what in my long list of flaws would make them think I would spend $10 to see a movie like that. In fact, there should be against the law for anyone above the age of 28 to see a film in that genre, unless they have a kid under 15. If you do see it and you do not fit the requirements, you should have to sell your car and ride around on a huffy bike with pink tassels and baseball bards in the spokes. Because you should get the same feeling of humiliation riding that bike and watching “New Moon”, “Twilight” or any other puberty light vampire love story.
Michael Kinney

When a season starts to go bad, everything is put under the microscope. That is what the Sooners are having to deal with these days.
After enduring losses to BYU, Miami, Texas and Nebraska, the Sooner’s chances at a national championship and Big 12 championship have been evaporated. So without championship aspirations to chat about, the Sooner nation has to find other ways to keep their interest.
The latest controversy to have the media and chat rooms on fire doesn’t even have anything to do what takes place on the field. For the past almost 10 years Oklahoma fans have changed the last line of the National Anthem from “home of the brave” to “home of the Sooners.” After a decade of this, all of a sudden some people’s patriotic upbringings have been insulted.
I know we live in a time when everyone wants to prove how much they love their country and look to turn the smallest slights into capital crimes. But this is going overboard.
If someone is truly upset about changing one word of the anthem, I do not have a problem with that. I think it’s being overly sensitive, but it can be understood.
What I will not accept are the fans who stood in the stadium feeling the National Anthem was being desecrated and only now have the gumption to protest.
To think that thousands of students and fans somehow are trying to disrespect the United States and the men and women in military service is absurd.
My question is where was this angst when Oklahoma was competing for a national championship? Why is it now an issue with the Sooners struggling just to be bowl eligible? Does our radar to defend patriotism only go up when Oklahoma’s win totals go down?
Until those questions are answered, everything else is just lip service.
Michael Kinney

Being born on Veterans day has its advantages. First, I usually didn’t have school on my birthday. Second, there was always some type of celebration going that I could pretend had to do with me. I love it.
However, there is a drawback that I have just began to notice the past few years. While growing up, when my birthday came around, everything and everyone else was secondary. All I cared about was whether I was getting the latest Starter jacket or how much money was going to be stuffed into my birthday cards.
While that was all well and good, I overlooked the importance of Veterans Day. Despite my step-father being a Veteran, it took me well into adulthood to associate Veterans day with its true meaning.
It wasn’t until these last five or six years that it finally hit. It was when I stopped hearing from many of my military friends on my birthday because they have been sent oversees to fight. It was a cold and sobering reminder of the day’s meaning.
So, while I will still celebrate turning a year older with the same excitement I always do, for once I know the day is not all about me.
Michael Kinney

A year ago this week was one of the most exciting times in many American’s lives took place. We watched as Illinois Senator Barack Obama was elected as the 44th President of the United States. It was billed as a transformational election. One that would unify a fractured country possibly “Change” the world.
Now here we are a year later and many have already started asking where is the Change? We still have an economy that is spiraling out of control, massive unemployment, two wars in the Middle East and a society that seems to be losing bits of its moral compass every day. People on the right and the left of the political spectrum have started to question why Obama hasn’t fixed these ills yet.
Like most Americans, I want things in a hurry. I have grown accustomed to not having to wait for almost anything. Unfortunately, we have that same attitude when it comes to solving the world’s problems.
Obama has already done many things that have benefited the country. But I also believe there are things Obama and his administration could be doing better. I hope he would agree. Yet, we still have to give them time to see where he is going to lead us and then decide if that’s a road we want to go down.
What I want to know is what are your impressions of this past year since the election of President Barack Obama? What has been good and what has been bad? If you voted, do you still think you voted the right way, whether you voted for Obama or not?
Michael Kinney

Is it me or is every street in Norman under construction at the same time. I try to avoid one construction site and I run smack dab into another one.
I am not against fixing up the city’s roads. I’m all for it. But to do them all at the same time can be frustrating. Every time I get an alert from the NormanTranscript.com letting me know which newest street will be closed, I almost have to pull out a map to map out a route to avoid congestion.
On the plus side, when all the work is, Norman will have the best street corner in the state. That should be in about 10 years.