For those who read my blog about what the Cleveland Indians had to do to contend, let's take a look at what actually happened...and what didn't.
The pitching had to be there and, so far, it really hasn't. Fausto Carmona HAS returned to 2007 form posting an 11-8 record, 3.78 ERA and really only having about 3 or 4 non-quality starts. Mitch Talbot has been a nice surprise but walks way too many (not surprising for a young guy). Jake Westbrook has come back from major elbow surgery and contributed innings but not quality innings. Surprisingly, the Cardinals traded for him and his first start for them was pretty good so maybe a league change will work.
Not much complaint about the bullpen. They've been steady and I was actually happy to see them trade Kerry Wood to the Yankees. He blew too many games for my liking.
Well, the Indians didn't trade Travis Hafner but he still isn't hitting. .267, 9, 33 in the fourth and fifth spot just doesn't get it done. I'm sure there were no teams willing to take on Hafner's contract but when the year ends they may have to eat the rest and release him. Use the money to try and get Carl Crawford!
They needed to start hot and finish hot. A 9-13 April wouldn't necessarily constitute starting hot, especially when followed by a 9-18 May. Injuries are starting to pile up again. Santana and Hafner just went on the DL and even with all that the Indians could leapfrog out of last place over the Royals. They're 5-6 in the last 11. Playing .500 ball the rest of the way WILL get them out of the basement and allow them to play spoiler down the stretch with their last 16 games against divisional opponents.
They've got a super-young lineup but the promise is there, as long as the front office does the right thing. Let's see how the rest of the year goes. Go Tribe!
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Monday, August 2, 2010
The First Amendment in the Computer Age
According to an opinion piece in the July 20th USA Today, students in schools are turning to blogs, Facebook and all kinds of Internet sites to voice their displeasure over Teachers, Principals...and other students.
A girl in Pembroke Pines, Fla. was suspended after complaining about "the worst teacher I've ever met." Now that she's graduated she's pursuing civil claims.
The story intrigued me so I did some digging (if only the author of the article did likewise [sigh]) The REAL story, according to a NY Times article published February 2009, states the girl DID start a Facebook page about the teacher and got a few responses. Some students even stood up for the teacher. At any rate, the page was taken down within a few days. Two Months later, the girl was called into the Principal's office and suspended for "cyberbullying."
Unfortunately, what the girl did doesn't really fall under the guidelines of cyberbullying.
StopCyberbullying.org, an organization dedicated to Internet safety, security and privacy, defines cyberbullying as: "a situation when a child, tween or teen is repeatedly 'tormented, threatened, harassed, humiliated, embarrassed or otherwise targeted' by another child or teenager using text messaging, email, instant messaging or any other type of digital technology." (Thank you, Wikipedia!)
Of course, the Principal couldn't very well call her to the office and say, "We're suspending you for exercising your right to free speech." So, I'm thinking the Principal must have taken up to a month to figure out how he could suspend the girl and cyberbullying was the only thing he could find, even though, it appears, the teacher had no clue about the Facebook page to begin with!
Pamela Brown, assistant director for the Broward County School District who oversees expulsions says “You can express an opinion on whether someone is a good teacher, but when you start inviting people to say that they hate a teacher, that crosses the line.”
Huh?
So, it's fine to follow the herd and say good things about people but as soon as you disagree and invite others who also disagree, well, then you're crossing a line. Of course you are! Because you're inciting rebellion against the status quo, isn't that right, Ms. Brown. Can't have that, can we??
Somehow, I can picture Ms. Brown sitting in her office with a huge swastika hanging behind her.
Sieg Heil!
So, does the student from Pembroke Pines, Fla. have protection under the First Amendment? I say 'yes.' If after school she was with a group of friends talking about how terrible this teacher was and the Principal happened to overhear, yes, he could try to suspend her (and the rest of the group) but he wouldn't get very far because her speech is protected by the First Amendment. Putting it down on an Internet page makes it different? Nope. She doesn't have First Amendment rights because she wasn't legally an adult? Nope.
As an update to this story: As of Feb. 2010, a Federal Judge has ruled that the former student can go ahead with the lawsuit AND has rejected the former Principal's claim of qualified immunity. You go, Girl!!
Are there any violations of Free Speech in your area? Let me hear about it!
A girl in Pembroke Pines, Fla. was suspended after complaining about "the worst teacher I've ever met." Now that she's graduated she's pursuing civil claims.
The story intrigued me so I did some digging (if only the author of the article did likewise [sigh]) The REAL story, according to a NY Times article published February 2009, states the girl DID start a Facebook page about the teacher and got a few responses. Some students even stood up for the teacher. At any rate, the page was taken down within a few days. Two Months later, the girl was called into the Principal's office and suspended for "cyberbullying."
Unfortunately, what the girl did doesn't really fall under the guidelines of cyberbullying.
StopCyberbullying.org, an organization dedicated to Internet safety, security and privacy, defines cyberbullying as: "a situation when a child, tween or teen is repeatedly 'tormented, threatened, harassed, humiliated, embarrassed or otherwise targeted' by another child or teenager using text messaging, email, instant messaging or any other type of digital technology." (Thank you, Wikipedia!)
Of course, the Principal couldn't very well call her to the office and say, "We're suspending you for exercising your right to free speech." So, I'm thinking the Principal must have taken up to a month to figure out how he could suspend the girl and cyberbullying was the only thing he could find, even though, it appears, the teacher had no clue about the Facebook page to begin with!
Pamela Brown, assistant director for the Broward County School District who oversees expulsions says “You can express an opinion on whether someone is a good teacher, but when you start inviting people to say that they hate a teacher, that crosses the line.”
Huh?
So, it's fine to follow the herd and say good things about people but as soon as you disagree and invite others who also disagree, well, then you're crossing a line. Of course you are! Because you're inciting rebellion against the status quo, isn't that right, Ms. Brown. Can't have that, can we??
Somehow, I can picture Ms. Brown sitting in her office with a huge swastika hanging behind her.
Sieg Heil!
So, does the student from Pembroke Pines, Fla. have protection under the First Amendment? I say 'yes.' If after school she was with a group of friends talking about how terrible this teacher was and the Principal happened to overhear, yes, he could try to suspend her (and the rest of the group) but he wouldn't get very far because her speech is protected by the First Amendment. Putting it down on an Internet page makes it different? Nope. She doesn't have First Amendment rights because she wasn't legally an adult? Nope.
As an update to this story: As of Feb. 2010, a Federal Judge has ruled that the former student can go ahead with the lawsuit AND has rejected the former Principal's claim of qualified immunity. You go, Girl!!
Are there any violations of Free Speech in your area? Let me hear about it!
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