Month: August 2013 Page 1 of 3

Plug: Prepd Extemp Filing Software

1238112_499167350177246_728795908_nSan Antonio, TX, August 28th, 2013Prepd, dedicated software for Extemp, launched today in public beta. Prepd has already been working with about a dozen, private beta partners. As of today, any high school or college debate team, or individual competitor, can join Prepd.

Extemporaneous Speaking (or “Extemp”) is a speech and debate event that requires competitors to give speeches on current event topics, with limited preparation.

In the past, extempers would prepare by printing out and filing thousands of news articles from the Internet. However, rule changes by the National Forensic League and many local circuits now allow students to use laptops and tablets to access articles in competition.

R&D: The Race for Federal Reserve Chairman

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Today’s R&D provides extempers a few articles about the “race” for the next Federal Reserve chairman between Larry Summers and Janet Yellen.

 

R&D: Conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

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Today’s R&D covers a recent escalation in violence in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and some of its turbulent history since it was granted independence from Belgium in June 1960.

 

Strategy: Fluency in Extemporaneous Speaking

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Speakers in limited preparation events experience a great deal of stress.  Unlike other forensic events, they must speak on their feet with little time to prepare and the speaker is sometimes not sure what will be the next word coming out of their mouth.  Mastering a fluid delivery is one of the most important parts in becoming a successful extemporaneous speaker.  A fluid delivery can captivate the audience and lead to higher ranks, while a choppy delivery can distract the audience and lead to low ranks.  This week’s strategy piece will discuss the importance of fluency and some tips to improve your fluid delivery.

Extemp Central News Quiz for the Week of August 26th-September 1st, 2013

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Here is this week’s Extemp Central news quiz.  Good luck!

Chemical Weapons Use in the Syrian Civil War

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[Readers should not that this brief was written on Monday afternoon, so facts on the ground may have changed by the time this brief is released on Tuesday morning]

Since March 2011, Syria has been plagued by a civil war as a result of the Arab spring.  The Syrian government of President Bashar al-Assad is clashing with diverse opposition groups for control of the country.  During two and a half years of hostilities, more than 100,000 people have been killed and it is estimated that two million people have fled the country, while up to twenty-five percent of the country’s population of twenty-three million are displaced as a result of the violence.  Last Wednesday, Syrian opposition forces claim that the Syrian government launched a chemical attack in the Damascus suburb of Johar, where government forces were engaging rebel groups.  Estimates for the number killed in this attack range from a little over one hundred to 1,300.  The Syrian government denies responsibility for the attack and claims that it is a “false flag” operation.  More than a year ago, President Barack Obama stated that the use of chemical weapons by Syria would constitute a “red line” that would prompt a firm international response, but the question in Washington is what type of response should be used if it is found that the Syrian government was responsible for the Johar attack.

This brief will break down the Johar attack and alleged chemical use in the Syrian civil war, international concern with the use of chemical weapons, and courses of action that the United States may use in order to respond to the Johar attack.

Readers are also encouraged to use the links below and in the related R&D to bolster their files about this topic.

R&D: Chemicals Weapons Use in Syria

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Here is today’s premium R&D to accompany today’s premium topic brief on the use of chemical weapons in the Syrian civil war.

 

HotTopics: United States Extemp Questions for the Week of August 26th-September 1st, 2013

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HOTtopics1. If not Hillary, then who?
2. Will attempts to unionize America’s fast food industry succeed?
3. Has Obamacare’s implementation been a disaster?
4. Will leaks about NSA surveillance activities lead to significant revisions of government anti-terrorism powers?
5. How should the U.S. respond to allegations of chemical weapons use in Syria?
6. Is America’s housing market on the road to recovery?
7. Will the Playstation 4 have a more successful release than the XBox One?
8. How can Steve Lonegan defeat Cory Booker?
9. Will Texas’s redistricting plan pass constitutional muster?
10. Does Chelsea Manning have a constitutional right to hormone therapy while in military custody?

HotTopics: International Extemp Questions for the Week of August 26th-September 1st, 2013

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HOTtopics1. What should the Russian government do in light of new reports of chemical weapons usage in Syria?
2. Will the release of Hosni Mubarak make Egypt’s interim government extremely unpopular?
3. What can missile defense planners learn from Israel’s Iron Dome?
4. How can the UN’s MONUSCO mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo improve its effectiveness?
5. Will recent revelations about radiation at the Fukushima nuclear plant doom attempts at reviving nuclear power in Japan?
6. Do European governments need to take stronger actions against neo-Nazi movements?
7. Why is economic growth in India slowing down?
8. Should Ukraine sign a customs agreement with the European Union or Russia?
9. How should the Brazilian government deal with rising illegal immigration?
10. Would consolidation improve European banking?

NFL Champion Interview Ashesh Rambachan (Part Two)

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AsheshAshesh Rambachan competed for Eastview High School (MN) and was the 2012 NFL National Champion in International Extemporaneous Speaking.  Ashesh was also the runner-up in International Extemporaneous Speaking at the 2011 and 2013 NFL national tournaments and was a semi-finalist in that category his freshman year.  In fact, since the inception of the United States Extemp/International Extemp category split, no extemper has had a better three year record at the NFL National Tournament than Rambachan.  Ashesh is also the only extemper in the history of the NFL National Tournament to win consecutive final round national championships in the same extemporaneous speaking category (2012 & 2013).  Ashesh was the runner-up at the 2012 NCFL Grand National Tournament and was a two-time Minnesota state champion in extemporaneous speaking (2012 & 2013).  Ashesh agreed to sit down with Extemp Central for a two part interview to share his thoughts on extemporaneous speaking, reflect on his career, and provide advice to future extemporaneous speakers.  Part one of the interview can be found here.

R&D: Czech Elections

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Czech lawmakers voted to dissolve the lower house of parliament on August 20th and set the stage for national elections in late October.  Today’s R&D covers those upcoming elections for those interested in International Extemp.

 

NFL Champion Interview with Ashesh Rambachan (Part One)

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AsheshAshesh Rambachan competed for Eastview High School (MN) and was the 2012 NFL National Champion in International Extemporaneous Speaking.  Ashesh was also the runner-up in International Extemporaneous Speaking at the 2011 and 2013 NFL national tournaments and was a semi-finalist in that category his freshman year.  In fact, since the inception of the United States Extemp/International Extemp category split, no extemper has had a better three year record at the NFL National Tournament than Rambachan.  Ashesh is also the only extemper in the history of the NFL National Tournament to win consecutive final round national championships in the same extemporaneous speaking category (2012 & 2013).  Ashesh was the runner-up at the 2012 NCFL Grand National Tournament and was a two-time Minnesota state champion in extemporaneous speaking (2012 & 2013).  Ashesh agreed to sit down with Extemp Central for a two part interview to share his thoughts on extemporaneous speaking, reflect on his career, and provide advice to future extemporaneous speakers.

R&D: NSA Surveillance

Today’s R&D over the hot topic of domestic surveillance by the National Security Agency (NSA).  The scope of the NSA’s activities were initially revealed by Edward Snowden and more leaks continue to reveal the expansive nature of the Agency’s activities.  President Obama has vowed to review the NSA’s activities and enhance public confidence in the program, but civil liberties groups remain skeptical.

 

Extemp Central News Quiz for the Week of August 19th-25th, 2013

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quiz-01Here is this week’s Extemp Central news quiz.

Egyptian Unrest & U.S. Aid

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Since 1979, when Egypt was a signatory to the Camp David Accords with Israel, whereby Egypt normalized its relations with Israel in exchange for the Sinai Peninsula, the United States has maintained strong military and diplomatic ties with the Egypt.  Today, the United States government provides an estimated $1.5 billion in aid to the Egyptian military.  American foreign policy views Egypt as a bulwark against unrest in the Middle East and a constructive player in the Israeli-Palestinian dispute.  However, that foreign policy view left the United States backing Egyptian strongmen like former President Hosni Mubarak, who ruled the country under a state of emergency for nearly thirty years.  The Arab Spring in Egypt in 2011 ousted Mubarak and brought to power the Muslim Brotherhood, an Islamist political organization and religious social organization, which had been declared an illegal organization after it was accused of trying to assassinate Egyptian Prime Minister Gamal Abdel Nasser in 1954.  After being unable to stabilize the country politically or economically, protests against the Brotherhood’s rule were launched in June, which culminated in a military coup on July 3rd that installed a provisional government headed by Supreme Constitutional Court Chief Justice Adly Mansour.  In light of the military government’s recent crackdown on sit-ins launched by the Brotherhood six weeks ago to pressure the provisional government to step down, which caused the deaths of at least 600 people, the United States and the Egyptian governments are in a tricky situation.  Should the U.S. end its military aid to Egypt and risk alienating its governing authorities?  How would that affect the geopolitical situation in the Middle East?  Also, what is the effect of this unrest on Egyptian society and is there a way for the Egyptian provisional government to put the country on the path towards peace, prosperity, and political reconciliation?

This brief will summarize some of the major political and economic issues confronting Egypt, American foreign policy towards the Egyptian government, and what the future may hold for U.S.-Egyptian relations.

Readers are also encouraged to use the links below and in the related R&D to bolster their files about this topic.

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