Argument Portfolio SPCH S228

MLB's replay initiative needs its own review

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/columnist/thorne/2008-06-17-banter_N.htm

Writers are saying there should be MLB replay on a controversial call. Defining home runs and whether the ball is fair or foul needs to be reviewed for accuracy. I am against this argument, because the game is slow as it is. Plus, it takes away the judgment of the umpire.

Smack steroid user Alex Rodriguez in jail, says WWE star John Cena

http://www.nydailynews.com/gossip/2009/03/25/2009-03-25_smack_steroid_user_alex_rodriguez_in_jai.html

WWE wrestler says Alex Rodriguez should be in jail for steroid use. The government should take serious action and throw athletes in jail for improper drug use. I am against this argument, because he should only say that athletes, who testify falsely about drug use, should go to jail. Plus Cena doesn’t have a legit argument due to the fact he works for an industry that revolves around steroids.

A College Football Playoff That Works

http://www.slate.com/id/91886/

Chris Suellentrop says the current BCS system is the way to go. He is against college football having a playoff system. In a previous report, I was for the college football playoffs. However, after more researching, I am against the playoff system. He made five good points on why it would be bad to have a playoff system. Quite frankly, I am not patient for a longer college football season.

Aaron says Bonds should keep home run record

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/baseball/mlb/02/14/aaron.bonds.ap/index.html

Hank Aaron says Bonds should keep his home run record. Despite steroid use, his record should not be taken away by Bud Selig. I agree with Aaron on this case, because if you take away Bonds record, then you’ll have to go back in the books and take away a lot of records from baseball’s disgrace. If you take away Bond’s home run record, then Pete Rose should not be the all time hits leader, because he gambled on the game.

Helio Castronoves Pleads Innocent in Tax Case

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,313705,00.html

Race car driver, Helio Castronoves is pleading not guilty for not paying his taxes from the years 1999 and 2004. His case is that he’s always had accountants to take care of his financial issues. I believe he should be guilty, because prosecutors have claimed that he only paid about $50,000 out of $600,000 from sponsorship contracts. One of his defense is that the government wants to pick on a celebrity and get a lot of press.

Dominican Miguel Tejada won’t see jail in steroids scandal

http://www.dominicantoday.com/dr/sports/2009/3/26/31519/Dominican-Miguel-Tejada-wont-see-jail-in-steroids-scandal

After lying in front of a grand jury, Miguel Tejada won’t be thrown in jail for illegal use of steroids. He will only serve unsupervised probation, and 100 hours of community service. I am well against this. I am very upset as an American citizen that this man is not in jail. He should be in jail for lying to the federal government, for cheating in the game of baseball, where he made millions of dollars on his salary. Athlete or not, he is now living on American soil.

Fan Ejected From Yankee Stadium For Bathroom Break

http://wcbstv.com/local/yankees.bathroom.ejection.2.804859.html

NYPD ejected a fan out of Yankee stadium for attempting to go to the bathroom during the song, “God Bless America” during the seventh inning STRECH. Apparently there is a rule that you can not get out of your seat during the song, “God Bless America.” I disagree that this man should have never been ejected out of the stadium. He has every right to use the bathroom whenever he needs to. Yankees could get slapped with a lawsuit if anything happened with this man’s bladder. It’s not like every fan gets a rule book of what you can and can not do in Yankee stadium.

9 Year-Old Little Leaguer "Too Skilled," Banned From Pitching

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/50950-9-year-old-little-leaguer-too-skilled-banned-from-pitching

Parents had a little leaguer, who was 9 years old, banned from the league because he threw to fast. Officials have agreed to ban this kid for throwing the ball 40mph and accurately. I am against this, because why are we teaching our youth that being good is wrong? This kid obviously has a gift, and he gets banned where he can’t continue his career in pitching. Parents and officials should be ashamed for an such act. Apparently the parents were whining to much because their own kids couldn’t hit the ball off of him.

World Baseball Classic: Friend or Foe?

http://media.www.bryantarchway.com/media/storage/paper1215/news/2009/04/10/Sports/World.Baseball.Classic.Friend.Or.Foe-3706523.shtml

This article is displaying that the World Baseball Classic is foe. There main argument says early season injuries occur. I agree with Jessica Komoroski that this tournament that is played in March, which is just before Spring Training begins in Major League Baseball, is a reason for our superstars to get hurt early, and end the chances of our favorite team to win the big one. I believe this tournament should be played at the end of the season, after the World Series. The only reason they continue to play this in early spring is the high revenue.
Softball player taken off life support
http://www.wsbt.com/news/local/43280177.html
The argument here is that a local viewer thinks that in slow pitch softball, helmets should be mandatory. A freak accident occurred over the weekend, where a thrown ball to home plate hit the runner in the back of the head, causing him to die just two days later. I wouldn’t rule out that softball players should have to wear helmets. I am a softball player myself, it wouldn’t mind playing with a helmet to protect any severe injuries or life threatening situations.

Softball player taken off life support

http://www.wsbt.com/news/local/43280177.html

The argument here is that a local viewer thinks that in slow pitch softball, helmets should be mandatory. A freak accident occurred over the weekend, where a thrown ball to home plate hit the runner in the back of the head, causing him to die just two days later. I wouldn’t rule out that softball players should have to wear helmets. I am a softball player myself, it wouldn’t mind playing with a helmet to protect any severe injuries or life threatening situations.

Tip of the Week

Hasn't everyone gone through with some tough experience when dealing with cell phone companies? Well this situation wasn't so much AT&T's fault. I am warning everyone out there to not get a cell phone account with your girlfriend/boyfriend.

At first it seemed like an alright thing to do. You share a phone line with your loved one. Doesn't it make the relationship deeper? I'd thought so. It's almost like buying a dog together.

When we get our bill, it's split in half. In our relationship, we would come to an agreement where we would split the bill half and half no matter who used the most minutes. However, what happens if you break up with your loved one?

The answer is obviously to kick her/him off the account. Well it wasn't that easy. For now, we have been good about just paying the phone bill as long as we don't have any farther arguments. We did split our account into two separate phone plans. My phone usage wouldn't affect hers, as well she wouldn't affect mine.

As time goes on, what if your ex-girlfriend finds a new man? Averaging the total phone bill around $212 is not too shabby for the both of us.

I woke up Monday morning to check my phone bill online, and I came across a huge amount! Our bill was $472.00! My first thought was this is outrageous, and how could I do this? Well going from $212 to $475 you would think someone has been on the phone too much or text messaging is getting ridiculous.

My ex-girlfriend has been on the phone with her new boyfriend just a little bit too long. Her bill was $350 out of the total $472. It's all fun in the end, but knowing my name is the primary account holder, it's my job to make sure its paid. Good thing, she is still a great person, and decided to still pay it.

It's still smart to don't rush into things in life. Sharing the same cell phone bill can be stressful. The way the economy is today, it's very smart if you just have your own.

Remember everyone, do not commit to things that you might be stuck with down the road. And that is your tip of the week!

New Poll

Hey everyone!

I just put up a poll on which newscast do you watch the most. I am very curious on which team you watch everyday. Consider who has a better weather forecast, covers the top stories, personalities of the anchors, or anything else that involves the news.

Thanks!

You can find the poll at the right side of this page and below.

Please vote and then leave a comment on why you chose that newscast.

National League Championship Series

As a Cubs fan, I am not really interested in any other team going on to win the World Series. However, I followed the NLCS. The Philadelphia Phillies verses Los Angles Dodgers started up last week.

I really thought the Dodgers had the edge over the Phillies. The Dodgers main star, Manny Ramirez was playing very well throughout the whole playoffs. He is batted well over .500 in the series against the Phillies. However, the Phillies little guys picked up the offensive in every game. Ryan Howard, who led the National League in home runs over the season, only had only one or two hits.

The pitching is what dominated for the Phillies. Cole Hammels, 24, is one of the youngest pitchers I have seen, who might be a potential Hall of Famer, was outstanding in the series. His E.R.A was under 2.00. The man that surprises me very much is Brad Lidge. He is the Phillie's closer. Brad has thrown 44 straight saves for the ball club. That is a tough task to do. Again, the pitching was just marvelous.

Matt Stairs, a pinch hitter for the Phillies, hit a moon shot 2 run home run in the top of the 8th inning in game number 4 that guaranteed the Phillies a World Series run. This home run should go down as one of the most memorable home runs in post season history.

The World Series hasn't been set yet. The Tampa Bay Rays are one game shy of earning their spot in the big dance. It should be a World Series to remember.

To watch the Matt Stairs home run, please visit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=03aUnQQKMGk

Recap on career...

So work is getting better by the moment. I have finally found my niche. At WSBT-TV, I have started a career in the news broadcasting business. The people I work with are very good to me. They have taught me things I could have never imagine I would be doing. From production to the newsroom, I have developed many friendships. Working here has been the best thing yet for me.

We are about to move into our new building near Granger. We have been planning to broadcast in High Definition for the first time ever. WSBT would be the first newscast station to broadcast in HD out of the three main news stations in Michiana area. This is a huge deal for our company. Our station has recently bought three other stations to build up our empire here in Michiana.

As a technical director, I have more responsibilities this most positions in production. Therefore, I have been watched and will be re-evaluated to maybe be promoted to full time. This would include a possible chance to train to direct the morning and midday show. I would love to be a full time director. At 22 years old, directing a newscast for a large market would be a great accomplishment. To stay professional, my plan is to keep working hard and work my way up the ladder. Only time will tell, when we move into our new facility in November, if a promotion will arrive.

Rehearsals have been going great. I believe we are getting closer to be ready for our new set. Here are a few pictures of the new building.

Visual of the Week

This picture means everything to me. I have faced a rough summer with a breakup that I thought would never happen. This is a picture of me, my ex-girlfriend Renee, and Kaylee who was like a daughter to me. The photo symbolizes “the family.”

The story behind this picture goes back two years ago, when I dated Renee, who was a single mother. I went to high school with Renee, and became best friends with her. I knew it was a tough challenge to be part of her life because of the fact she had a 2 month old daughter that I did not know how to handle. I took a risk and made myself a responsible father to that child.

Kaylee is everything to me. I have been through the worst time of her life and of course the happiest moments in her life. We both love each other very much. The greatest words from a child’s mouth are when they tell you they love you. I was in her life for almost two years until Renee’s feelings towards me changed. It was the biggest turning point of my life.

To this day I hurt because I grew to love Kaylee as each day went by. I miss the feeling of taking care of someone who I thought could grow up as me being her dada. When I look at this picture, it makes me remember the good times all three of us had together as a family. There were so many memories that will last forever. It’s unfortunate that a decision has been made where I can no longer continue my responsibilities of being a proud father. However, it was a great lesson of life on how to raise a child.

There are no regrets. This was the best time of my life as we speak. There are better things yet to come upon me. I wish the best of luck with these two girls that I loved very much. This picture will always be with me.

This reflects on how much of hard worker I am in life. I take everything that comes before me with pride and love. My job was going to help us raise a family down the road. It was just too good to be true.

My top 3 of the top 50 most powerful blogs...

#15 TZM
This blog I would love to chat about. Whether is positive or negative opinions about celebrities that seemed to be in the media all of the time. There are times when I feel like a celebrity is being violated with the paparazzi and causing her to meltdown from life. Some celebrities I believe need more recognition as well. It seems like TMZ is a great show for the latest celebrity gossip.

#30 Go fug yourself
This sounds very funny. Creating words like this and not being offensive is great. Fugging is a word to beat on celebrities as ugly. Whether is clothing, appearance, or actions, the definition is very superb. This blog would be great if it was the daily “Go fug yourself” on a certain topic.

#2 Boing Boing
I like this blog because it’s personal opinion on music taste, and it’s informative. Adding the music lyrics to one of the songs is neat if someone was interested in one of the tracks from the album. I like the organization itself. It’s very clean and not too tacky. Great visuals on what album we are reading about as well.