Oscar Night Thoughts

Any regular reader of this blog knows that I am a movie lover.  My wife and I go to the movies generally once a week.  We were, in fact, married in a movie theater.  And, as a movie buff, last night was a pretty big night.  The Oscars.  The night that Hollywood comes out to recognize its own and give credit where credit is due.  You’d think I was glued to the TV.

I was not.

I am not an award show watcher.  That’s not to say I have no interest in the outcomes of the awards.  I was happy to see “The King’s Speech,” one of my favorite movies of the year, walk away with some much deserved awards.  I was glad to see Natalie Portman and Christian Bale also get some much deserved acclaim.  But, no matter how much interest I actually have in the awards being given out, you would be hard pressed to get me to watch the actual ceremony.

All the pomp and circumstance mixed with a liberal dose of glitz and glamor simply does nothing for me.  I respect most of these people for the talent and artistry they are capable of, but the award shows always seem long on flash and short on substance.  I certainly don’t want to deny anyone their moment of celebration and recognition, I just don’t feel a need to watch it.

I’ve never really understood the fawning that some people do over celebrities, and I think that is a big part of the turn-off I have in regards to awards shows.  The public at large tunes in early to get a glimpse of who is wearing what so they can chat around the water cooler the next morning about who was the definition of elegance and who just doesn’t have style or taste.  We analyze every word, every gesture, and every decision these people make.

News flash,  they are not a superior race or some evolutionary step forward from the rest of us.

Talent and luck will take you far.  And most at that ceremony last night were extremely talented individuals.  Society and the marketplace have created for them, and their peers in music and sports among other fields, an ability to generate enormous incomes based upon that talent.  As long as we are willing to buy movie tickets, DVDs, cable or satellite TV, and service like Netflix there will be a market for them to continue to get compensated in that way.

More power to them, they have found a way to make a generous living using their God-given gifts.  But, step back a moment every once in a while and remember that they are people just like us.  They have hopes and fears.  They make mistakes and let the pressure and stress get to them.

Admire the talent.  Admire the people.  But don’t ever believe that you are not made of the same stern and stubborn stuff that makes us all human.

MovieDruid Now

Hello again, everyone.

Here I am once again to pontificate upon the product that Hollywood has churned out for another week.

Of course, the big news in movies this week isn’t what’s new at your local cineplex but who will be going home with the little golden statuettes on Sunday night.  I’m always interested to see that the Academy has to say, but over the years, quite frankly, I’ve become a bit jaded with their elitist tendencies.  This year looks a little better as the Best Picture nominees were all relative commercial successes, but the Academy is the Academy so we’ll have to see how things play out.

At any rate, this Oscar weekend sees three national release.  I, however, will only be discussing two.  I have a long-standing policy about concert films here at the MovieDruid.  They don’t get discussed.  That goes double for a director’s cut of a concert film which has only been out for a few weeks.  And it goes triple for Justin Bieber.  No Bieber here.  Ever.  Period.

So, that being said, let’s see what else is coming out…

“Hall Pass”

Trailer

Synopsis: Rick and Fred are best friends who have a lot in common, including the fact that they have each been married for many years. But when the two men begin to show signs of restlessness at home, their wives take a bold approach to revitalizing their marriages: granting them a “hall pass,” one week of freedom to do whatever they want…no questions asked. At first, it sounds like a dream come true for Rick and Fred. But it isn’t long before they discover that their expectations of the single life–and themselves–are completely, and hilariously, out of sync with reality.

MovieDruid’s Comments: I don’t even know what to say in response to this one.  Perhaps I am a prude or have old-fashioned views on some level, but the entire concept of this film comes close to be offensive.  First, the premise that all men have so little control over themselves that this sort of thing has any kind of credence is nuts.  I’m the first to admit that guys can be ridiculous when it comes to women at times.  But to play the stereotype this hard and heavy just makes that image that much worse.  But, my biggest issue with this is the idea that anyone would have to give their spouse a “hall pass” and let them stray for a bit.  What the hell is that about?  Perhaps I am in the minority, but to me if that’s something that sounds cool to ou then perhaps you didn’t truly understand the vows you made when you got married.  Just my opinion, take it for what it’s worth.

“Drive Angry” – MovieDruid Pick of the Week

Trailer

Synopsis: Milton is a hardened felon who has broken out of Hell intent on finding the vicious cult that brutally murdered his daughter and kidnapped her baby. He joins forces with Piper — a sexy, tough-as-nails waitress with a ’69 Charger, who’s also seeking redemption of her own. Now, the two of them are hot on the trail of the deadly leader of the cult, all while being pursued by an enigmatic killer who has been sent by the Devil to retrieve Milton and deliver him back to Hell. Caught in a deadly race against time, Milton has three days to avoid capture, avenge his daughter’s death, and save her baby before she’s mercilessly sacrificed by the cult.

MovieDruid’s Comments: On another week this probably wouldn’t be Pick of the Week.  I simply have quite a few reservations about it and it could easily go either way.  If it swings in the good direction it will be a fast-paced movie with just enough camp to make it an entertaining ride.  If it swings wrong Nicolas Cage has himself another “Ghost Rider.”  This one does have a few things going for it, though.  Besides Nicolas Cage (“Gone in 60 Seconds” & “Leaving Las Vegas”) the cast includes Amber Heard (“Zombieland” & “Pineapple Express”) and William Fichtner (TV’s “Prison Break” & “Contact”).  Like I said, go into this one expecting it to go either way.  And, if you’re feeling truly lucky grab the 3D version.

Conflict & Prophecy

I, like many people, have been watching with interest the growing levels of protest and discontent that have been spreading in the Middle East.  The uprisings that began in Tunisia have been like kindling spreading like wildfire into Egypt, Bahrain, Yemen, Iran, and Libya.  It is, in many ways, a frightening thing to see, but the human cost of the protests, particularly in autocratic states like Libya and Iran, is truly tragic.

The Middle East has always been something of a powder keg.  The stability of the region never seems to settle into any kind of comfortable pattern.  There is near constant conflict between sects, states, and ideologies.  And this is hardly a new phenomenon, Richard and Saladin fought many of these same battles in the time of the Crusades.  The region seems to be a magnet for conflict.

How can such a small region, in the grand scheme of things, have so much pain, war, and hate attached to it?  One doesn’t have to look very far, the lands of the Arabian peninsula seem  to be custom designed to concentrate conflict.

First off, the greatest cause of human conflict exists in the Middle East in perhaps its most concentrated form.  I speak, of course, of religion.  Now, don’t get me wrong, I am not denouncing any particular faith or religion in general.  However, more blood has been shed in the supposed name of God, by whatever name you know him, than in service to any other cause known to man.  The Middle East is a major focal point of this specifically because of the regions religious significance.  Three of the world’s most widespread faith (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam) call these lands holy.  Sites such as Jerusalem are constantly fought over because of this significance.

One need look no further than the conflict over the Temple Mount to understand just how ugly these things can get.

But, as if the religious issues were not enough, there is also the oil.  One of the most important and precious substances of the modern world and the largest quantities of it are found in perhaps the most troubled region of the world.  No one can make any kind of move in the region politically or militarily without someone screaming that it is all about the oil.  The world economy runs on it, the Middle East sits on top of the lion’s share of it.  This makes for a tricky political environment, but also gives the region a huge means with which to blackmail the rest of the world should they choose to do so.  War for oil is not only not far-fetched it is also a daily reality of the region.

And, now we see uprisings in the nation’s of the Middle East. Like I said before, a frightening development in terms of potential violence and economic backlash.

Even more so if you have ever looked at the writings of Nostradamus.  Nostradamus predicted the rising of three “anti-Christs.”  Scholars vary on their interpretation of the prediction, but many believe that Napoleon may have represented the first.  The general consensus among most is that Adolf Hitler represented the second.  The third is yet to come.  However, Nostradamus speaks of him rising out of the Middle East and speaks of him as a man in a “blue turban.”

Now, I know I can tend toward being a bit superstitious.  And, I know that, as many have pointed out, Nostradamus, much like many religious texts, can be made to say just about anything given the right context and interpretation.  But, if you read the quatrains and look at history his predictions have an eerie ring of truth to them. So, I watch for signs from them the same way I watch for signs from Revelations.

Call me a nut if you will, but if I start seeing a man in a blue turban on the news it may be time to batten down the hatches a bit.

Communication And The Lack Thereof

I am not much of a TV watcher these days, but I was in my younger days.  And I remember when I was a kid watching daytime television when I was sick or during he summer seeing the ads for technical schools and correspondence courses just like you do today.  One of these, for whatever strange reason, that always sticks out in my mind stressed how so many people stresses in interviews how they were a “people person.”  I guess that was a big deal back then.

When I think about that commercial it always makes me smile one of my patented ironic smiles.  I am most decidedly not a people person.  That’s not to say I can’t deal with people.  One thing I learned early in my working life is that you have to be able to put on a mask of sorts while at work and become what is expected.  I’ve worked in customer service and technical support most of my life, and thus have gotten good at playing the little masquerade game that comes with that territory.

However, in my private life it’s much different.  I don’t relate well with most people.  I never really have, and thus have been a bit of an outsider and a loner for much of my life.  That fact will often lead me to the rationalization that I don’t really need or want to have people around me.  But, no man is an island, as they say, and anytime I end up with large amounts of time on my own the silence becomes deafening once more and the ache for some sort of human connection kicks in.

What can I say, I am a paradox.

These days I feel the edge of loneliness more than I like.  I’d give my right eye for a return to the workplace just to get that human interaction.  But, it goes beyond that.  Despite the fact that I come here and spill the contents of my twisted mind out for everyone to see on as close to daily basis as I can manage, I still have problems communicating through anything but a keyboard.

I miss my family.  I miss my old friends.  And, while I have reestablished many of those connections, I have failed, in many ways, to truly nurture them.  I don’t know how to talk to anyone anymore it seems.

It can be so frustrating having so much in my head to say, but having it all amorphous and unable to be expressed.  I wish I knew how to fix the cracks in me that prevent me from communicating, but truly I don’t know where to start.

MovieDruid: Secret of the Lost Legend

Hello once again, everyone.

Well, here we are in mid-February and the weather outside in central PA is nearing the 70 degree mark.  It is truly weird being comfortable in a pair of shorts outside the week of Valentine’s Day.

But, I digress. We’re here for movies, not weather commentary.  After all, talking about the weather is probably the most banal of small talk.

So, rather than indulging in further vapidness, let’s take a look at the cinemas.

“Big Mommas: Like Father, Like Son”

Trailer

Synopsis: Big Momma is back – and this time he has big backup: his teenage stepson Trent (Brandon T. Jackson). Martin Lawrence returns as FBI agent Malcolm Turner and as Turner’s deep-cover alter-ego Big Momma. Turner is joined by Trent, as they go undercover at an all-girls performing arts school after Trent witnesses a murder. Posing as Big Momma and as hefty coed Charmaine, they must find the murderer before he finds them.

MovieDruid’s Comments: I know that there is a place and an audience for this sort of film.  I also know that I am not it.  Now, before you write this off as just another case of the MovieDruid being a comedy hater, keep this in mind: I am a fan of Martin Lawrence.  I enjoy much of his work from the “Bad Boys” movies to “Death at a Funeral.”  However, the “Big Momma” franchise is one that I don’t really have an interest in.  The idea of the cross dresser as comedy has been hashed and rehashed so many times, that the jokes have all been made.  This is cliche built on further cliche, and the talent of the cast would be better used elsewhere.

“Unknown”

Trailer

Synopsis: Dr. Martin Harris awakens after a car accident in Berlin to discover that his wife suddenly doesn’t recognize him and another man has assumed his identity. Ignored by disbelieving authorities and hunted by mysterious assassins, he finds himself alone, tired, and on the run.

MovieDruid’s Comments: On the surface this looks like a fairly solid film.  It has all the markers of a good thriller.  It has a gifted star, Liam Neeson (“Rob Roy” & “The Mission”), in its lead role.  It seems to do everything right.  My fear is that this is a smokescreen of sorts, especially once you look a little harder.  First off, my biggest fear is that this is going to become a clone of “Taken” on many levels.  Granted the stories are different, but there are enough of the common thriller elements present for this to seem like a potentially brazen attempt to ride on the coattails of that film.  However, my biggest concern is the director, Jaume Collet-Serra.  His filmography is short, which isn’t necessarily an issue.  But, it is also full of films like “Orphan” and “House of Wax,” and that is a concern.  Can this one overcome the inevitable comparisons to Neeson’s turn in the solid “Taken”?  I don’t know, but with this director, I must admit, I have my doubts.

“I Am Number Four” – MovieDruid Pick of the Week

Trailer

Synopsis: Three are dead. He is Number Four. D.J. Caruso helms an action-packed thriller about an extraordinary young man, John Smith, who is a fugitive on the run from ruthless enemies sent to destroy him. Changing his identity, moving from town to town with his guardian Henri, John is always the new kid with no ties to his past. In the small Ohio town he now calls home, John encounters unexpected, life-changing events-his first love, powerful new abilities and a connection to the others who share his incredible destiny.

MovieDruid’s Comments: A little bit of sci-fi is always a good thing, and here we seem to have a solid dose.  There is a concern with Michael Bay involved that this will become a bit ridiculous, but he is sitting in the producer’s chair and has handed the directorial reins over to the gifted D.J. Caruso (“Eagle Eye” & “Taking Lives”).  The cast, in general, have short resumes, mainly due to their youth.  However Alex Pettyfer (“Wild Child” & “Tormented”) seems to have a good handle on his role and Dianna Agron (“Burlesque” and TV’s “Glee”) is a fairly proven performer.  And, of course, Timothy Olyphant (“Dreamcatcher” & “The Crazies”) has a history of solid performances.  This one seems to have the earmarks of a well-made film, let’s hope it lives up to that appearance.

SkyNet Is Coming, Just You Wait

As a sci-fi fan and a computer geek I have a great familiarity with stories of machines going wild and taking over.  They run the gamut from the good (“The Matrix”) to the bad (“Eyeborgs”) and even the ugly (“Maximum Overdrive” – <shudder>).

It seems like the concept of our creations turning upon us has become one of the basic human fears of the modern age.  The problem is that nothing is happening that assuages that fear.  If anything, it gets worse every day as the machines seem to get smarter and smarter and we seem to defer to them more and more often.

So, as a means of making ourselves feel better we occasionally feel the need to pit our own human intelligence and abilities against those of the machines.  Such things go back at least as far as Deep Blue‘s iconic chess matched against chess master Garry Kasparov.  We walk into these competitions feeling assured that there is no way a machine can truly defeat the human ability to not only think, but think is creative and adaptive ways.

Against Deep Blue, we were proven wrong, though Kasparov claims that he saw tendencies in the computer’s play that indicated that IBM cheated by allowing human intervention during some of the matches.

It seems like the time has come for yet another test of man versus machine.  This time the coliseum of choice is the television game show “Jeopardy.”  We are pitting the man with the longest winning streak on the show (Ken Jennings) and the man with the largest cash winnings in the show’s history (Brad Rutter) against a new artificial intelligence called Watson.

The problem is, after two days of the three day competition the AI is kicking the snot out of the two men.  And this is in a competition that many thought an AI would struggle in given the tendency of Jeopardy to use puns and the like in its format.  It was thought that even given the advanced ability to handle natural language such esoteric language and wordplay would give the machine problems.

Apparently not.

I think that this incident, especially when combined with Deep Blue (and his successor Deeper Blue) proves something very important for the human race.  We have been given a very important window into the potential futures shown to us in “The Matrix” and “The Terminator.”  We have a unique opportunity to take action before the machines conquer us all.

What is this opportunity?  What am I yammering about?  It’s quite simple.  There is only one place that seems to be developing these AIs that are designed to defeat human intellect.  There is one place that has continued to research AI that seems to be on the road to SkyNet or the like.  Thus, it is quite clear what must happen to prevent a future where we are either wiped out or turned into batteries by machine overlords.  They must be stopped.  The fall of mankind can be averted with the downfall of one company.

I’m sorry to say it, but IBM must fall.  It is the only way.

Money, Influence, & Power

There is a bit of a controversy brewing over the last few days here in the wonderful capitol of Pennsylvania.  And, while that is hardly surprising since it seems like 90% of what comes out of Harrisburg is questionable on some level, this one raises some interesting questions.

It seems that Pennsylvania State Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati, a Republican representing Jefferson County, stepped in it a bit by accepting a trip to the Super Bowl from a gas drilling company, Consol Energy. For those unaware, there is a debate going on in the Pennsylvania state senate about the drilling rules for the gas-rich Marcellus Shale in the state.  Thus, this “gift” looks like a serious attempt to influence a vote.

Now, of course Scarnati denied that this was in any way an influence.  He was going to vote the way he felt was in the best interests of his constituents regardless of the fact that this company sent him on an all expenses paid trip to one of the biggest ticket sporting events there is.  And, his chief of staff was thoroughly insulted by the questioning of Scarnati’s ethics and the appropriateness of accepting the gift.

After all, nothing illegeal was done.

The problem here isn’t really the legality of the gift.  Yes, technically it was legal for the trip to be accepted under existing state law.  Yes, he was within his legal rights to accept the trip and have a good ol’ time down in Dallas.  But, as the old saying goes, just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should.

Even if you give Scarnati the benefit of the doubt, his integrity on any vote or debate regarding the Marcellus Shale issue is in question.  He has given, at the very least, the appearance of possible impropriety.  How can I trust that he will not, on some level, allow the trip to influence his vote.  I know that when someone does something nice for me I tend to be more likely to help them out if I’m given the chance.

Oh, wait, that’s right, he’s paying the company back.  A result, I’m sure, of the public outcry over the issue.

Um, a bit too little too late.  He can’t win now.  If he votes in favor of the company people will question whether of not the trip influenced him.  If he votes against them we will wonder if he is compensating for the trip and trying to clear his image.  Either way, he loses.

This is the real problem with politics, and in many ways the world in general.  Money.

People will mouth the words that “the best things in life are free” or “money can’t buy the best things in life,” but the truth of the matter is that money is a leading force in many negative behaviors.  Money buys material comfort.  Money opens doors and grants influence.  Money is, in short, power.  And power is a very tantalizing thing.

As long as we have lobbyists and laws that say that elected officials can accept gifts up to a certain amount we will have money corrupting the system.  As long as we let political fund-raising proceed in a nearly unchecked manner, with laws and regulations with so many loopholes and go-arounds that they might as well be Swiss cheese, we will have money corrupting the system.

I don’t know what the solution is, I’ve never claimed to be that smart.  But I do know that having the rules regarding what a politician can and can’t accept drawn up b y the very politicians who will have to then abide by those rules seems a bit shady to me.  But, the sad truth is that no matter what we do to close the holes there will always be someone clever who finds a way around.

The quest for power, it seems, is human nature.  A sad testimonial on our species if you ask me.

It’s Not Easy Hating Cheesy

Alright, it’s time to rant a bit.  And, while I love a good rant, I understand that this rant will fall on mostly unsympathetic ears.  In fact, given the company that put food on my family’s table when I was growing up this rant could even say to smack slightly of a certain level of hypocrisy.  However, I feel the need to rant, and few forces in nature can stop me once I get up a head of steam and want to complain.  I’m annoying that way, I suppose.

My rant today is on the subject of cheese.

Yes, that’s right: cheese.

This country, and perhaps the rest of the world as well, seems to have an obsession with the stuff.  Cheese is everywhere.  People love them some cheese.

Enough already.

Now, I know that I am in a rather small minority that does not care for cheese.  It is a cheese-lover’s world out there and I am just living in it.  I can deal with that.  I can handle having to ask nearly every waitress and fast food clerk to hold the cheese, knowing that this instruction will be ignored at least 40% of the time. I’ve learned to deal with it.

But, what does get to me sometimes is the complete lack of real cheese-free alternatives in many cases.  Case in point, this morning at the grocery store.  I stopped to pick up a few items and decided I wanted to grab something quick to throw in the microwave for a hot breakfast.  A simple enough request, and one that would offer up a bountiful selection to most frozen foods shoppers.

But not for those of us who dislike cheese.

Every biscuit, every scramble, nearly every non-sweet option for breakfast includes cheese.  It is as if it is impossible to make eggs or biscuit sandwiches or breakfast bowls without mixing in some cheese.  Is there a law I am unaware of?  Is there some sort of strange chemical reaction that I am not privy to which only the presence of cheese can stabilize?

So frustrating.

It will never change.  Those of us who are not fans of cheese will never be a strong enough voting bloc or consumer demographic to engender real change.  We will continue to be an ignored minority who are sneered at with disgust when we ask if it would be possible, for the love of God, to please have that order without cheese.

Is that really asking so much?

Quick, Turn Off The Internet

Someone needs to develop a course on the Constitution and the tradition of republic-style democracy in America.  The course should definitely include readings from Plato, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Benjamin Franklin.  It is getting more and more vital with each passing day that this be taught in this country.

Only it’s not the students who need it, it’s the politicians.

The political class in this day and age seems to have forgotten the things that made this country great to begin with.  They have turned their backs on such important and unchanging documents as the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights.  We have become a society in which our leaders are far too willing, one could even say eager, to throw away our basic freedoms and we as a populace act almost as willing accomplices by failing to exhibit outrage.

One of the latest attempts to bypass our American heritage has been provoked by the events and actions in another nation.  In this case, Egypt.

Unless you’ve been in some sort of isolation the situation in Egypt can hardly be outside your sphere of knowledge.  The country is turning into a powder keg with an ever-shortening fuse.  Demonstrators on both sides have begun to exhibit violent tendencies toward not only one another, but also anyone who appears foreign, in many cases targeting journalists.

How has the Egyptian president responded?  In many ways, but perhaps the most disturbing is the practical shut down on internet communications through a sort of internet “kill switch.”  And this, my friends, has given Washington one hell of an idea.  An idea that they moved on quickly continue to try to push trough.

After all, we really need the government to have the power to shut down the most powerful and influential tool for communication and the sharing of ideas the world has ever seen.  And, of course, this power would never be abused.  It is absolutely necessary to have it available in the case of cyber attacks, which most experts agree will rarely, if ever, be predictable without outside intelligence.

We can trust them.  Implicitly.  After all, they’re the government and they’re here to help.

 

And The Awards Keep On A Comin’

I am an animal lover, this is a well-established fact.  It is a factor in my personality that defines me almost to a fault.  I have been accused at times of liking animals more than people and found it hard to argue the fact.  As such, I find any instance of animal cruelty to be beyond the pale.

This is why I have on a number of occasions railed against Michael Vick.

Now, I know that many say he has “paid his debt to society.”  And, in a legal sense, I can’t argue with them.  And, yes, he has taken it upon himself to become an advocate to children speaking on a number of causes including animal cruelty.  It just all seems at least a small bit disingenuous to me.  He had a serious image problem and needed desperately to rehab that image to secure his ability to play in the NFL and to be sure he could continue with a semi-lucrative lifestyle.

In no way do I think he has paid for what he did to those dogs.

But, it is hard to make a case to toss Vick out of the NFL when others continue to play with other serious offenses from domestic violence to drug charges to murder laid out against them.  But, despite the fact that I hate the fact that he is out there among the privileged elite of sports making more money in a season than many of us will see in a lifetime, I can grind my teeth and accept that he has been welcomed back.

This weekend, however, was a bit much to swallow.

On Saturday, the Associated Press named Vick the 2010 Comeback Player of the Year.  In so doing, the AP, about as respected as you can get in the realm of news organizations, has declared Vick to be redeemed in the eyes of the media.  He is no longer to be considered a figure of controversy, but a standard for the competitive spirit fighting back from adversity.

What a load of crap, pardon my language.

Of course, the AP can hardly be fully condemned for this atrocity.  While the AP Comeback award is certainly considered to be the big one of its type, Vick also received Comeback Player of the Year awards from The Sporting News, Pro Football Weekly, and the NFL Player’s Pulse.  That final one is awarded by the NFL Player’s Association, and, thus, speaks to the opinion of his fellow pro athletes.

Reading this news had me seething, but worse was yet to come.

That same day Vick was in Dallas to continue his speaking engagements to kids about being a bad guy who is now a media darling. (Sarcasm added at no additional charge.)  While he was in town he got a little visit from Dallas mayor pro tem Dwaine Caraway who bestowed upon him, get this, the key to the city.

And why was Vick given the key to the city?  When asked that very question Caraway responded with this inanity:

He is telling kids and exchanging with them the rights and wrongs of the things that he did and encouraging kids to further their education and to not deal with the drugs. To obey their parents and pick the people they hang around.

That’s a message I would challenge anybody to say that not one kid across America shouldn’t hear from people in notoriety such as Michael Vick.

I won’t even start on the syntax and odd grammatical structure of this statement from a public official.  The message is clear, the mayor pro tem of Dallas sees Vick as someone who overcame great adversity to become a shining example to our children.

Um, no.

Vick is a man who caused great adversity and pain to creatures who knew no better than to trust that a human would care for them.   He was involved in horrific acts of cruelty and after spending less than two years incarcerated was allowed to cry some crocodile tears and go back to playing a game for millions of dollars.

That is not a message I want sent to the children of this country.  And worse yet, Vick has no ties to Dallas.  He was born in Newport News, Virginia.  He played his college ball at Virginia Tech.  He was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons and currently plays for the Dallas arch-rival Philadelphia Eagles.  So, I ask again, why is he getting the key to the damn city?

The mayor, Tom Leppert actually addressed that on Monday.

“The action taken was not sanctioned by my office and was not an official ceremonial honor on behalf of the City of Dallas.  Official Keys to the City are presented by the Mayor, or an elected official designated by the Mayor, and reserved, on a limited basis, for an elected official of international status. Clearly, this was not the case in this situation and done without my knowledge or approval.”

So, apparently the mayor pro tem took this upon himself without talking to anyone first.  Well, it was one hell of a great call there, Caraway.  Even your own mayor is saying you were a bit out of line.

Think whatever you want of Vick.  I know that many think that I am over the top in my criticisms, but I don’t really care.  But, whatever you do have a little intellectual honesty.  This man only overcame adversity that he caused for himself.  And the terrible strife he had to overcome is nothing compared to the hell he created for those dogs.