Month: November 2010 Page 6 of 7

In the latest edition of the Rostrum, the National Forensic League list its rules for laptop use in extemporaneous speaking. The national tournament will allow students to use laptops, but each NFL district will get to decide whether student use of laptops is appropriate at their district qualifying tournaments. Most of the rules are common sense. Instant messaging, Internet access, and cell phones are banned during prep. The rule that extempers need to be most aware of is that laptops have to be battery powered at all times. Extempers are not allowed to use external power sources. So you can forget plugging your laptop into a wall outlet and/or bringing a massive extension chord into the prep room.

To access the guidelines, click here and scroll to page two.

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R&D: Congress Ends Up Divided After the Midterms, Reid Hangs on in Nevada, Kirk Wins in Illinois, and Proposition 19 Fails

In R&D

Here is your R&D for November 3rd:

GOP seizes control of House; Dems retain Senate from Politico
In last night’s midterm elections voters returned the Republicans to power in the House of Representatives. However, the GOP was unable to run the table in the Senate and take control.

‘Yes, we did’ from the Las Vegas Sun
Senate Majority Harry Reid survived a challenge from Tea Party candidate Sharron Angle last night and will return to the Senate for the fifth time. Read more about this exciting race in this article.

Republican Kirk defeats Democrat Giannoulias for Obama’s old Senate seat from the Chicago Tribune
In a stinging rebuke of President Obama, Republican Congressman Mark Kirk defeated Illinois State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias in the state’s much watched Senate race. Republicans believe that this is a big victory because Kirk will be seated immediately and now occupies President Obama’s old Senate seat.

Marijuana legalization measure loses in California from the Associated Press
California’s Proposition 19, which would have legalized the sale and use of marijuana, went up in smoke last night as voters rejected the measure. Supporters say that they are already preparing for a new effort in California and other states in 2012.

Extemp Central News Quiz Answers for the Week of November 1st-5th, 2010

In Quiz

Here are the answers to this week’s Extemp Central news quiz.

HotTopics: International Extemp Questions for the Week of November 2nd-8th, 2010

In International Extemp, Weekly Questions

1. How would the international community react if Lebanon had a coup?
2. Will Berlusconi’s latest scandal lead to the downfall of his government?
3. Would Indonesia benefit from an economic partnership with Australia?
4. Will Mikhail Khodorkovsky die in prison?
5. What will be Nestor Kirchner’s legacy?
6. How should investors react to Dilma Rousseff’s victory in Brazil’s presidential election?
7. Why is Yemen becoming a hot bed for international terrorism?
8. Is ASEAN doing a poor job dealing with Myanmar?
9. What does French and British military cooperation mean for NATO?
10. How can China and Japan’s dispute over islands in the East China Sea be resolved?

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Local Results: The 2010 Lamar Consolidated High School Speech and Debate Classic (Texas/TOC)

Here are the results of the 2010 Lamar Consolidated High School Speech and Debate Classic, held at Lamar Consolidated High School on October 29th and 30th. This tournament was a TOC qualifier and all participants below earned bids to the 2011 Extemporaneous Speaking Tournament of Champions (TOC).

U.S. Extemp

Champion: Tuyen Pham (Travis High School)
2nd: Dominic Odom (Cypress Creek High School)
3rd: Hunter Bodiford (ClearBrook High School)
4th: Daniel Warwick (Cypress Creek High School)
5th: Tirhakah Love (Alief Hastings High School)
6th: Mahak Mithani (George Ranch High School)

Local Results: The Watertown Pumpkinstakes (South Dakota)

Here are the results of the Watertown Pumpkinstakes, held on October 30th.

Champion: Jacob Clark (Watertown High School)
2nd: Gus Campbell (Aberdeen Central High School)
3rd: Nishita D’Souza
4th: Dylan Shroll (Watertown High School)
5th: Karen Lee (Aberdeen Central High School)

Local Results: 2010 Riverside High School Warrior Invitational (South Carolina)

Here are the results of the Riverside High School Warrior Invitational, held at Riverside High School on October 30th.

Champion: Abhi Pandya (Southside High School)
2nd: Nathan Biyani (Southside High School)
3rd: Mohit Gandhi (Southside High School)
4th: Charlie Staub (Southside High School)
5th: Harrison Stall (Southside High School)
6th: Elliot Lovegrove (Bob Jones Academy)

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R&D: Political Calls Cause Phone Outages in Boston, Berlusconi’s Problems Increase, and What it Will Take for Israel to Make Peace

In R&D

Here is your R&D for November 2nd:

Comcast: ‘Massive’ Amount Of Political Calls Lead To Phone Outages from WCBVTV in Boston
Comcast phone customers have experienced outages because of heavy political phone traffic this week. A good AGD article for questions that force you to summarize the midterm election results.

Bungled bungled from the Economist
A lingering sex scandal might help Italy’s opposition send Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi packing.

If Israel Wants Peace… from Foreign Policy in Focus
In this interesting article, Foreign Policy in Focus describes what it might take for Israel to warm to the Middle East peace process.

HotTopics: United States Extemp Questions for the Week of November 2nd-8th, 2010

In U.S. Extemp, Weekly Questions

1. Is WikiLeaks damaging American national security?
2. Should the U.S. cut military aid to the Congo?
3. How should the U.S. respond to the latest terror scare the originated in Yemen?
4. The 2010 midterms: Where does President Obama go from here?
5. How have the midterm elections impacted the role of Blue Dog Democrats within the Democratic Party?
6. Ten years after the Florida debacle, have voting practices significantly improved in America?
7. How can the Republican establishment stop Sarah Palin?
8. What is the likelihood that Hillary Clinton becomes Secretary of Defense next year?
9. What will happen during Congress’s lame duck session?
10. Will President Obama blink first on extending the Bush tax cuts?

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Local Results: Washington-Arlington Catholic Forensic League Tournament (Virginia)

Here are the results from the first Washington-Arlington Catholic Forensic League tournament, held at Potomac Falls High School in Loudon, Virginia on October 30th.

Champion: Ben Constine (Yorktown High School)
2nd: Dagoberto Valladores (Osbourn Park High School)
3rd: Nikhil Gupta (Walt Whitman High School)
4th: AK Komanduri (Dominion High School)
5th: Helen Felker (Stone Ridge High School)

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Local Results: Gregory-Portland TFA Qualifier (Texas)

Here are the results of the Gregory-Portland TFA Qualifier, held at Gregory-Portland High School on October 30th.

U.S. Extemp

Champion: Adam Williams (Lake Travis High School)
2nd: Katherine Ray (A&M Consolidated High School)
3rd: Vegas Longlois (King High School)
4th: Eli Kresta (El Campo High School)
5th: Blade Angel (Lake Travis High School)
6th: Jacob Silgero (Victoria West High School)
7th: Mark Valdez (Edinburg North High School)
8th: Nathaniel Mata (Idea Quest College Prep)

Local Results: Plano West High School Wolf Classic (Texas)

Here are the results of the Plano West High School Wolf Classic TFA Qualfying Tournament, held at Plano West High School on October 29th and 30th.

U.S. Extemp

Champion: Shikha Garg (Plano Senior High School)
2nd: Alessandro Pauri (Flower Mound High School)
3rd: Matthew Hinojosa (Flower Mound High School)
4th: Sean Oliver (Plano Senior High School)
5th: Sanjana Puri (Flower Mound High School)
6th: Sheena Chokshi (Plano Senior High School)
7th: Derrick Rice (Garland High School)
8th: Samuel Alleman (Shepton High School)

Local Results: Big Spring High School TFA Qualifying Tournament (Texas)

Here are the results from the Big Spring High School TFA Qualifying Tournament, held at Big Spring High School on October 29th and 30th.

U.S. Extemp

Champion: Jacob Kirksey (Lubbock High School)
2nd: Arjun Mocherla (Lee High School)
3rd: Javier Juarez (Lee High School)
4th: James Rayl (Spring High School)
5th: Haylee Dodson (Seminole High School)
6th: Cody Bean (Central High School)
7th: Paul Glasheen (Lubbock High School)
8th: Ruddy Tchao (Lee High School)

Local Results: Stratford High School TFA Tournament (Texas)

Here are the results from the Stratford High School TFA Tournament, held at Stratford High School on October 29th and 30th.

U.S. Extemp

Champion: Maggie Zhou (Clements High School)
2nd: Leo Putnam (Lamar High School)
3rd: AlexiS Ward (Cp-springs High School)
4th: Leora Troung (Clements High School)
5th: Oliver Mao (Clements High School)
6th: Austin Chandler (Montgomery High School)

Local Results: St. Mary’s Hall Speech and Debate Tournament (Texas)