Month: March 2011 Page 1 of 5

Site News: Content Updates Will Be Delayed Until Next Wednesday Due to the AFA-NIET

Due to an obligation to judge for Western Kentucky University at the American Forensic Association National Individual Events Tournament (AFA-NIET) this weekend, site content will not be updated until next Wednesday.  Next Wednesday morning, April 6th, the news quiz and new IX/USX questions will be posted.  A large 20 article R&D will also be posted that afternoon to make up for the days that are missed.  I apologize for any inconvenience that this may cause.

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R&D: Reforming Pakistan’s Electoral System, 13% of U.S. Homes Are Vacant, and Arizona Outlaws Selective Abortions

Here is your R&D for March 30th:

Reforming Pakistan’s Electoral System from the International Crisis Group
The latest International Crisis group report reflects on Pakistan’s political system, which the organization argues needs reform because it has contributed to political instability and created a breakdown of the rule of law.  Don’t forget to print the summary and the full .pdf report.

Housing market: 13% of all U.S. homes are vacant from CNN
According to a recent report from the census, thirteen percent of homes nationwide are vacant.  Critics points out, though, that smmer homes and second homes are also included in the vacancy statistic.

Arizona outlaws abortions based on race, sex from the Arizona Republic
Arizona became the first U.S. state to ban race and sex-selection abortions yesterday.  Under the law that Governor Jan Brwer signed, it is a felony for a doctor to perform an abortion that is based on the sex or race of a fetus.

HotTopics: United States Extemp Questions for the Week of March 29th-April 4th, 2011

1.  Will the Libyan war cause a liberal to challenge President Obama in a Democratic Party primary next year?
2.  Are boycotts by Democratic state legislators counterproductive?
3.  Should the NCAA basketball tournament be expanded to 96 teams? 
4.  Will the Supreme Court find Arizona’s campaign finance law constitutional?
5.  If significant tax reform happens in the United States will it happen at the state level first?
6.  Does America have a serious anti-Islam problem?
7.  Should the White House engage Fox News or continue to ignore it?
8.  Did Indiana Democrats win their battle with the Republican controlled state legislature?
9.  If he decided to run, what impact would Rand Paul have on the 2012 GOP presidential primary?
10.  How can the U.S. get China to follow international sanctions on Iran?

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Extemp Central News Quiz Answers for the Week of March 28th-April 1st, 2011

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

R&D: Egyptians Doubt Changes in Government, Arizona’s Campaign Finance Law is Reviewed by the Supreme Court, and Maternity Tourism Raises the Ire of Policymakers

Here is your R&D for March 29th:

Egypt is still Mubarakstan from the Guardian
Although Egyptians succeeded in ousting President Hosni Mubarak, they are now realizing that corruption extends well below him within the Egyptian government.

Campaign Law Has Doubters on Court from the Wall Street Journal
The Supreme Court has returned to the arena of campaign finance reform as it is looking at the constitutionality of an Arizona campaign-finance system that allows a candidate to get public subsidies for their campaign if they agree to not take contributions from businesses, unions, or political parties.

Arriving as Pregnant Tourists, Leaving With American Babies from the New York Times
The rise in “maternity tourism” where pregnant women arrive in the United States and give birth to their children has raised the ire of some American policymakers, who argue that it is taking advantage of birthright citizenship and could hurt education and economic opportunities for resident American children.

HotTopics: International Extemp Questions for the Week of March 29th-April 4th, 2011

1.  How would the fall of the Assad dynasty impact Syria’s relations with Israel?
2.  What steps does the international community need to take to reduce the spread of drug resistant TB?
3.  Will European voters, instead of politicians, be the ones that pull the plug on the euro?
4.  Does international intervention in Libya damage anti-nuclear proliferation efforts?
5.  Should Japan bury the Fukushima nuclear reactors?
6.  Why is international use of the death penalty declining?
7.  Is South Africa’s contradictory foreign policy harm its international standing in the coming years?
8.  Will Marine Le Pen destroy Nicolas Sarkozy’s re-election hopes?
9.  Can the Iron Dome protect Israeli cities from militant rocket attacks?
10.  Why was Angela Merkel’s party thrashed in the Baden-Wuerttemberg state elections?

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State Results: 2011 Indiana High School Speech and Forensic Association State Tournament

Here are the results of the 2011 Indiana High School Forensic Association State Tournament, held on March 26th.  All of these finalists have earned automatic qualifications to the 2011 Extemporaneous Speaking Tournament of Champions (TOC) at Northwestern University.  Thanks to the tournament staff for putting the results online.

United States Extemp

Champion: Bryton Hiatt (Plymouth High School)
2nd:  Kelsey Shaffer (Plymouth High School)
3rd:  Paige Settles (Floyd Central High School)
4th:  Joey Spencer (Warren Central High School)
5th:  Katie Ward (The Signature School)
6th:  Niral Shah (Munster High School)
 

R&D: The Right to Protect Doctrine Returns, Water Issues Worry Americans Most, and Is America Protecting French Interests in Libya?

Here is your R&D for March 28th:

How Libya’s Qaddafi brought humanitarian intervention back in vogue from the Christian Science Monitor
Libya’s Moammar Gaddafi has resurrected the international doctrine of the “right to protect”, which some analysts thought was a dead idea dating back to international inaction on Darfur.

Water Issues Worry Americans Most, Global Warming Least from Gallup
A recent Gallup poll shows that Americans environmental concerns have remained static since last year.  Worries about water contamination rate the highest in Gallup’s latest poll about environmental problems facing the United States.

The Libyan Job from Slate
Slate Magazine doesn’t pull any punches in this article, when it makes the case that America is sending its military forces into Libya to defend French interests.

Extemp Central News Quiz for the Week of March 28th-April 1st, 2011 (Short Answer Version)

Here is your short answer Extemp Central news quiz for this week. Good luck!

Extemp Central News Quiz for the Week of March 28th-April 1st, 2011 (Multiple Choice Version)

Here is your multiple choice Extemp Central news quiz for this week.  Pick well and good luck!

R&D: Yemen’s Challenges for the United States, Romney Hits the Road for Donations, and Allied Forces are Divided on Libya

Here is your R&D for March 25th:

Yemeni Military Leader Tied to Terrorism Pledges to Protect Protesters from the Washington Institute for Near East Policy
The situation in Yemen could go very badly for the United States, with the defection of General Ali Mohsen al-Ahmar being seen as a significant blow to the Yemeni government.  General al-Ahmar has ties to militant organizations and if he were to take power it could threaten U.S. interests in the region.

Romney Hits Road to Target Big Contributors from the Wall Street Journal
Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney has launched a 15-city push to secure big financial commitments for his 2012 presidential run.  Romney’s rumored strategy is to secure sizeable funds to knockout his primary opponents early.

Allies Are Split on Goal and Exit Strategy in Libya from the New York Times
Although coalition forces have prevented Moammar Gaddafi from routing rebel forces, they are not sure whether the ultimate goal should be the protection of civilians or the removal of the Gaddafi regime.

State Results: 2011 Arizona Interscholastic Association State Tournament

Here are the results of the 2011 Arizona Interscholastic Association State Tournament, held on March 18th-19th.  All of these finalists have earned automatic qualifications to the 2011 Extemporaneous Speaking Tournament of Champions (TOC) at Northwestern University.  Thanks to the tournament staff for putting the results online.

5A

Champion:  Michael Ferrante (Dobson High School)
2nd:  Alex Daniel (Dobson High School)
3rd:  Brendan Porter (Desert Vista High School)
4th:  Andy McCoy (Brophy College Preparatory)
5th:  Bill McDonald (Brophy College Preparatory)
6th:  Michael Ippolito (Mesquite High School)

R&D: Timeline for Arab Protests, Gaddafi Faces a Coalition of the Unwilling, and Portugal Creates a New Headache for the EU

Here is your R&D for March 24th:

The Arab Powder Keg from Slate
This is a link to an animated map from Slate Magazine, which diagrams the spread of unrest across the North Africa and Middle East since December.

‘Gadhafi Is Facing a Coalition of the Unwilling’ from Der Spiegel
In a critical piece about coalition efforts against the Libyan government, Der Spiegel describes how bickering among coalition partners has created a “coalition of the unwilling” and that the bickering may end up strengthening the Gaddafi regime.  The article also has a timeline for Colonel Moammar Gaddafi’s forty years of rule.

Portugal’s crisis gatecrashes Euro summit from the Agence France Presse
Portugal moved closer to becoming the next European country in need of a bailout as its parliament rejected an austerity package yesterday.  Portugal’s crisis may throw the EU’s latest financial summit into disarray and create political problems in countries like Germany whose citizens oppose bailouts to fiscally irresponsible EU member states.

Local Results: New York Catholic Forensic League Grand National Qualifying Tournament

Here are the results from the New York Catholic Forensic League’s Grand National Qualifying Tournament.  All of the finalists qualified to the 2011 CFL National Tournament in Washington D.C.  If you would like your local results, excluding NFL qualifying tournaments which we will post on our USX and IX qualifying boards (although do send us the names of qualifiers), to be posted on Extemp Central, send them to [email protected].

Champion:  Curan Mehra (Scarsdale)
2nd:  Ana Guay (Convent of the Sacred Heart in New York)
3rd:  Mick Zloof (Stuyvesant High School)
4th:  Matt Zuckerman (Fordham Preparatory)
5th:  Polina Dedaj (Ursaline High School)
6th:  Gabe Ferrante (Iona Preparatory)

State Results: 2011 Nevada Forensic Association State Tournament

Here are the results for the 2011 Nevada Forensic Association State Tournament, held at Virgin Valley High School on March 18-19th.  All of these finalists have earned automatic qualifications to the 2011 Extemporaneous Speaking Tournament of Champions (TOC) at Northwestern University.  These results were obtained from forensicsonline.net.

United States Extemp

Champion: Jason Singh (Green Valley High School)
2nd: Bailey Mintz (Spring Valley High School)
3rd: Reed McGinley-Stempel (Green Valley High School)
4th: Jeremy Mann (Palo Verde High School)
5th: Spencer Cross (Bishop Gorman Catholic High School)
6th: Christopher Bennett (Foothill High School)

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