Month: October 2009 Page 2 of 3

News Quiz for the Week of October 19th-23rd, 2009 (Short Answer Version)

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On October 19, 2009

In Quiz

Here is the multiple choice version of this week’s news quiz.  This week sees a heavy focus on International issues as thequiz-01 domestic scene was quite dry (unless you liked following hoaxes about kids abandoning their homes in makeshift hot air balloons). However, one question is not multiple choice due to the number of answers required for it.

Good luck on this week’s quiz.  Answers will be posted on Friday.

1. What is the name of the territory that is disputed between Armenia and Azerbajan that could threaten an agreement between Armenia and Turkey?

2. Which of the following is NOT one of the three conditions Gordon Brown has set for sending 500 more British troops to Afghanistan

3. Who is the Republican who joined Democrats in pushing the Senate Finance Committee’s bill out of committee?

4. The Pakistani Taliban have ties with which ethnic group that straddles Pakistan and Afghanistan?

5. China raised concerns last week after it signed a oil and mineral deal for billions of dollars with which African nation?

6. Name the four states who currently allow gay marriage.

7. Who is the president of Chile?

8. What is the unemployment rate in the U.S. last month?

9. Louisiana was in the news last week after a justice of the peace refused to do what?

10. Japan’s government recently said they would no longer do what for the NATO mission in Afghanistan?

News Quiz for the Week of October 19th-23rd, 2009 (Multiple Choice Version)

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On October 19, 2009

In Quiz

Here is the multiple choice version of this week’s news quiz.  This week sees a heavy focus on Internationalquiz-01 issues as the domestic scene was quite dry (unless you liked following hoaxes about kids abandoning their homes in makeshift hot air balloons). However, one question is not multiple choice due to the number of answers required for it.

Good luck on this week’s quiz.  Answers will be posted on Friday.

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News Quiz Answers for the Week of October 12th-16th, 2009

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On October 16, 2009

In Quiz

Here are the answers for this week’s news quiz.  The hardest questions for extempers were likely #8 and #9, which dealtquiz-01 with homeland security and the Indonesian political system.

How many did you get right this week?

The new news quiz will be released on Monday morning.  Also, since local tournaments are starting up, if you have local extemp results, e-mail them to me at [email protected] and we will post them to the site.


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AGD: In a Down Economy Shopping Becomes Entertainment

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On October 15, 2009

In AGD

Photo Illustration/CNN

Photo Illustration/CNN

by Corey Alderdice

When Steve Jobs joined Disney’s board of directors with the Mouse-Ears Company’s acquisition of Pixar, the company hoped Jobs work a bit of that Apple magic for them as well.

With Jobs’ insight and blessing, Disney intends to borrow heavily from Apple’s playbook and their Apple Retail Stores in a forthcoming update to the Disney Store chain.

It’s not just about new shelves and a fresh coat of paint.  As many stores are just trying to get by amid slumping sales, Disney is rushing toward a major investment. The key is not so much a change in product, but the actual experience of shopping at a Disney store.  After all, the company that’s all about entertaining your family at the movies, on Broadway, and in theme parks worldwide might as well have your attention at the local mall.   The New York Times explains:

Disney Stores, which the media giant is considering rebranding Imagination Park, will become more akin to cozy entertainment hubs. The chain’s traditional approach of displaying row after row of toys and apparel geared to Disney franchises will be given a high-tech makeover and incorporated into a new array of recreational activities. The goal is to make children clamor to visit the stores and stay longer, perhaps bolstering sales as a result. Over the next five years, analysts estimate that Disney will spend about $1 million a store to redecorate, reorganize and install interactive technology.

“The world does not need another place to sell Disney merchandise — this only works if it’s an experience,” said Jim Fielding, president of Disney Stores Worldwide. The company plans to unveil the new look in May in Southern California, Long Island and Madrid, and is close to signing a lease for that Times Square flagship.

Where does this fit into your speech?   As the recession lingers, questions about the economic outlook will find themselves into each tournament.  Moreover, as we approach what is expected to be another glum holiday shopping season, questions will pop up about the retail outlook.  You might even work this into a speech about reinvention, the need to try something new, or other situations where change is happening in business or industry.

Topic Brief: Obama’s Nobel Peace Prize

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On October 14, 2009

In Topic Brief, U.S. Extemp

Before we jump into this week’s topic brief, check out the official video from NobelPrize.org’s YouTube channel on their rationale for the selection of Barack Obama as a 2009 Nobel Laureate.

By Logan Scisco

When people first heard the news about Barack Obama being awarded the Noble Peace Prize they probably thought it was some kind of joke.  I can admit to having this reaction.  The reason is not that Obama is a failed president or I have some type of anti-Obama bias.  It is simply because the Nobel prize traditionally has awarded individuals based on their actions, citing concrete achievements and progress as opposed to hopes for what might happen in the future.  With President Obama having been in office for only nine months and without any significant changes

The Nobel Peace Prize is an award that comes from the estate of Alfred Nobel, the creator of dynamite.  Nobel created five awards, given for peace, chemistry, literature, physical science, and medicine.  The peace prize and these other awards are determined by a Norwegian committee.  The criteria given for the peace prize, which carries with it a $1 million reward is the following:  that a person should “shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses.”

Obama’s victory in the prize came as a shock to many and has prompted a debate over the merits of the prize and sparked a small political controversy in the United States.  The controversy might be the only thing that unites conservatives with Hamas and Hugo Chavez.  This brief will examine the justification behind Obama receiving the award, the reaction of the globe and fellow politicians in the U.S., and how this prize could play a part in Obama’s future agenda.

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Extemp Questions for the Week of October 13th-19th, 2009

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On October 13, 2009

In International Extemp, U.S. Extemp, Weekly Questions

1. Is David Patraeus the new Eisenhower?questions
2. What is the best way to solve the unemployment problem in America?
3. How can the Czech Republic be compelled to ratify Lisbon?
4. Has Abbas ruined his standing with the Palestinian people over the Goldstone report?
5. Should Democrats force Charlie Rangel to give up his chairmanship?
6. Considering their election prospects, why has the Labor Party not ousted Gordon Brown?
7. Do 2nd amendment rights apply to state and local governments?
8. Will Israel ever give back the Golan Heights?
9. Should the U.S. be doing more to reinstate the Monroe Doctrine in the Western Hemisphere?
10. How will winning the Nobel Peace Prize impact Barack Obama’s foreign policy?

News Quiz for the Week of October 12th-16th, 2009 (Short Answer Version)

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On October 12, 2009

In Quiz

Here is the short answer version of this week’s news quiz, with a heavy focus this week on international issues.quiz-01

 

 

 

 

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News Quiz for the Week of October 12th-16th, 2009 (Multiple Choice Version)

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On October 12, 2009

In Quiz

quiz-01Here is the multiple choice version of this week’s news quiz, with a heavy focus this week on international issues.

 

 

 

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News Quiz Answers for the Week of October 5th-9th, 2009

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On October 12, 2009

In Quiz

Here are the answers from last week’s news quiz.  Extemp Central apologizes for the delay in getting them up.quiz-01

 

 

 

 

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AGD: AskMen Names Don Draper Most Influential Man of 2009

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On October 10, 2009

In AGD

30 minutes is more than enough time for Don Draper to prepare an extemp speech.

30 minutes is more than enough time for Don Draper to prepare an extemp speech.

Extemp often comes down to knowing who the most important and influential players are across the world.  From heads of state, to despots and innovators alike, the names and personalities of these individuals are the underpinning of our most important debates…and extemp speeches.

It’s very strange, then, that AskMen’s Most Influential Man of 2009 is, well, not really a man at all.  He’s fictional character Don Draper, man’s-man-ladies’-man-man-about-town of the AMC television drama Mad Men.

How exactly does Draper beat out 48 other real-life personages like Usain Bolt, Bararck Obama, Mark Zuckerberg, and Steve Jobs?  Heck, how do you beat a Nobel Peace Prize winner? How is it that a man of the 1960’s is the man of import for the twenty-first century?  AskMen.com explains:

It may seem strange, at first, to accept the idea that a fictional character trumped an athlete who embodies our ideals of a timeless Olympian (Bolt) and a politician who personifies mankind’s ongoing fight for equality (Obama), but Don Draper did just that. It’s not that Don Draper, the character, is ultimately more important to the history of the 21st century than Bolt and Obama; it’s that he embodies the character traits that the 21st century man wants to have and, at the same time, he is not without his flaws. He is the Everyman without being an actual man at all.

Read the full story on why Don Draper resonates with modern audiences.  Also AskMen.com asks “Why Does Everyone Want to be Don Draper except Don Draper?”

Via Yahoo OMG!

National Points Race Standings Updated!

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On October 8, 2009

In National Points Race

The new 2009-2010 Extemp Central National Points Race and National Teams Points Race standings have been updated.  To accesspointsraceheader-01 them, click on the “Nat’l Points Race” tab at the top of the page. 

We have a new leader in the standings:  Aaron Lutkowitz of Montgomery Bell Academy in Tennessee, fresh off of his victory at Yale.  Lutkowitz has also powered MBA into the top spot in the team points race.  From all indications, he plans to attend St. Mark’s so he will be looking to add to his lead at that tournament.

The next major tournament in the National Points Race:  The St. Mark’s Heart of Texas Invitational.  It will be a fifth tier tournament, awarding 40 points to the best performing extemper in the U.S. and IX portions combined.

Yale Invitational: Final Extemp Results

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On October 8, 2009

In National Circuit Results

yaleThanks to Stacey Chen and Adam Johnson, Extemp Central has been able to compile a list of the final placings for the Yale University Invitational that was held last week in New Haven, Connecticut.

Champion: Aaron Lutkowitz (Montgomery Bell Academy, Tennessee)
2nd: Nabeel Zewail (San Marino High School, California)
3rd: Nathaniel Donahue (Durham Academy, North Carolina)
4th: Bari Saltman (Berkeley Carroll School, New York)
5th: Jared Odessky (Nova High School, Florida)
6th: Zohaib Chida (Scarsdale High School, New York)

The final was a nice mix of geographic representation and congratulations to all who made it that far. The National Points Race will be updated shortly to reflect the Yale results.

AGD: The Top 8 of 2008 CEO Compensation

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On October 7, 2009

In AGD

GOOD’s executive compensation infographic shows the ridiculous levels of the global leaders in salary for 2008.  Pay close attention to the number of minimum wage earners each CEO’s take-home pay would support.  They are, you know, standing on the backs of the workers.   Since debate over executive compensation doesn’t appear to be going away any time soon, these numbers are handy to have at hand, and the comparison makes for an interesting statistic.

Via BoingBoing and Good

Topic Brief: G-20 Summit

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On October 7, 2009

In International Extemp, Topic Brief

International Monetary Fund Photograph/Stephen Jaffe

International Monetary Fund Photograph/Stephen Jaffe

by Logan Scisco

Two weeks ago, the leaders of nineteen of the world’s influential economies, with the European Union, met in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania for another round of G-20 summit talks.  The G-20 is an organization created in 1999 that is meant to be a broader discussion forum of developed and developing economies.  The G-7, an economic forum that featured the United States, Canada, Germany, France, Great Britain, Italy, and Japan, was sometimes called too elitist and too isolated from emerging economies like China, India, and Brazil.  (Writer’s Note:  The G-8 is the name for the economic organization that includes all of the members of the G-7 plus Russia).

In Pittsburgh, President Barack Obama hosted the second meeting of the G-20 in 2009 (the first was held in London).  Throughout their discussions, leaders of the countries that are part of the G-20 debated the equality of voting rights in the International Monetary Fund, banking regulations, economic stimulus packages, free trade, and deciphering what the exact mission of the G-20 was going to be.

G-20 meetings will continue to play a pivotal role in the shaping of the world’s economic output for years to come.  As a result, extempers will start to see more questions about the G-20 in the future.  This brief will explain the composition of the G-20, what the latest summit accomplished, and the chance that their reforms will greatly affect the world economy.

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Extemp Questions for the Week of October 6th-12th, 2009

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On October 6, 2009

In International Extemp, U.S. Extemp, Weekly Questions

1.  Is the public option dead?questions
2. How can China be persuaded to put sanctions on Iran?
3. Can Tim Pawlenty win back the White House for the GOP in 2012?
4. Should Hamas release Gilad Shalit?
5. Does Hillary Clinton’s focus on women’s issues have a positive or negative impact on other U.S. foreign policy priorities?
6. Why did Chicago fail to win its IOC bid for the 2016 Olympics?
7. What does the SPD’s poor performance in the German elections mean for the party’s future?
8. Is the material support law unconstitutional?
9. Does the Federal Reserve need to raise interest rates?
10. Did the G-20 fail on climate change?

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