As the Truth sees it…

Ten years ago when Y2K arrived, I was in Las Vegas ringing in the new decade. Back then I had no idea what the next 10 years would bring. But I was excited to see what was to come.
Now, here we are about to ring in a new decade and I am back where I started. I have no clue what lies ahead, but still have a child like wonder waiting to see what takes place. If it’s anything like that past 10 years, it should be interesting. Here are a few of the highlights.
Best Films: The Dark Knight, Ray, Lord of the Rings, X-Men and Remember The Titans
Best TV show: The Chappelle Show, 24 and Frontline
Best Albums: Kanye West: The College Dropout, OutKast: Stankonia, Justin Timberlake: FutureSex/LoveSounds and Lil Wayne: Tha Carter III.
Best Sports Moment: 2000 Lakers defeating the Trailblazers in Game 7 of Western Conference Finals. 2000 OU beating Florida State in BCS Championship and 2008 Tiger Woods winning the U.S. Open.
Top Stories: The election of Barack Obama being, 9-11, the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and death of Michael Jackson.
These are just a few of the events and people I will take from the past decade. What are yours?
Michael Kinney

For all of you apartment dwellers, this past week’s snow storm was a blessing in disguise. I know that sounds insane, but it’s true. Whether you live in Norman or in other parts of the Midwest, a blizzard like this allows people to see what lengths their complex mangers and owners will go to in order to keep their tenants safe and happy.
If you woke up Saturday, Sunday or Monday and the roads going through or around your complex were still packed with snow and ice, then you may need to start looking for a new place to live.
While it may not be against the law, it’s dangerous, a serious inconvenience and just bad business for them to have not found a way to remove the ice and snow from the complex’s roadways and sidewalks. Either they are too cheap to hire someone to do it, or they just do not care about the safety and well-being of the people pay them large sums of money every month if this problem has not been taken care of yet.
During lunch or when you get off work, drive around town checking out other apartment complexes. Jot down the names of the ones who have cleared away the remnants of last’s weeks snow and ice storm. Those names may come in handy when your lease is up. Just a thought.
Michael Kinney

With Urban Meyer stepping down as the head coach at the University of Florida, I have no doubt that talk about Bob Stoops leaving OU for the Gators will begin Sunday morning. I just want all of you Sooner fans to be ready for the onslaught of rumors and gossip that will hit the airwaves, chat rooms and barber shops about Stoops trading in his maroon and white for bright blue and orange. Be prepared because it’s coming.

7. Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town. It’s a classic that as stood the test of time. Made dolls in 1970, it’s something parents can watch with their children.
6. Home Alone. I wasn’t impressed with Macaulay Culkin or the story, but the physical comedy Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern showcased had me crying with laughter.
5. Bad Santa. Billy Bob Thorton was just pure mean, but it was xxx, who played his partner, who stole the show.
4. Scrooged. Billy Murray gives his take on Charles Dicken’s A Christmas Carol as a television executive who finds his soul with the help of three ghost. It had moments of corniness, but it was at its best when Murray was bad.
3. National Lampoons Christmas Vacation. Stars: Chevy Chase. Signature moment: Clark Griswald nearly burns down his house trying to kill a squirrel that had gotten loose in the house.
2. “Friday After Next”. Stars Ice-Cube and Mike Epps. Signature moment: When Ice-Cube and Epps get beat up by Santa Clause
1. A Christmas Story. A Red Rider BB Guns and sticking your tongue on a frozen light pole are just a couple of the memorable moments in this 1983 classic. It’s sown on television even more than “It’s a Wonderful Life,” but it has not gotten old and stale.
Michael Kinney

With Christmas less than two weeks away, I thought I would share my top-7 worst Christmas movies of all-time.
Seven worst Christmas movies of all-time.
7. “Eight Crazy Night.” I am not a fan of Adam Sandler and this movie reminds me why.
6. “Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas.” Just plain bad.
5. “Elf.” It was Will Ferrell first bomb and I still can’t believe the great James Caan allowed himself to be in it.
4. ‘”Christmas With the Kranks’.” Tim Allen must have really needed a paycheck after his Home Improvement was canceled to star in this. Sadly, it was even worse than The Santa Clause, his other holiday film.
3. “White Christmas.” Bing Crosby and a lot of singing. Besides that, I still have no clue what the film was actually about.
2. “”It’s a Wonderful Life.” Nothing against Jimmy Stewart, but this film has been propped so much as an American Classic that it has lost its affect. If I have to watch the George Bailey’ kid yell out again that an angel must have gotten his wings, I will be sick.
1. “Jack Frost”: Michael Keaton plays a singer who dies in a wreck, he then comes back as a snowman to help his son. Need I say anything else about the capacity for people to make stupid films?

If you beleive my list is missing a movie, let me know, I am always willing to adjust my list if you come up with a good reason. Next time I will post my top-7 best holiday flicks.
Michael Kinney

I was lucky enough to wake up Thursday morning at 6 a.m. to catch President Obama getting his Nobel Peace Prize. It was a great moment in American history as he became the first sitting president to receive the honor.
But even more importantly, I think his speech proved wrong all of his critics who said he hasn’t earned the award.

There is no bigger story in the news today than Tiger Woods and his alleged extra-marital affairs. It has trumped the White House party crashers, President Obama’s troop surge in Afghanistan and the man-hunt and shooting of the Seattle cop-killer.
While the story seems to be covered from every angle, their is one aspect that I do not see getting much play. And that is: “Is Tiger’s wife, Elin, to blame for the entire controversy?”
Yes, I know Tiger is the one who may have cheated on her with several ladies across the country. But, if reports are true and she ends up staying with him so she can get their pre-nuptial redone, then why go through the entire fiasco in the first place. If she hadn’t allegedly beat him down with a golf club and forced him to crash into a tree, then Tiger’s affairs would not have come to light and his image would be intact.
If Elin was taking the two kids and leaving him, I could understand her stance. But if everything is true that is being reported, then the only reason she is staying is for the money. If that’s so, there was no need to make a big scene about it. Right?
Michael Kinney