Month: December 2013

2013 Princeton Classic: Oh Takes the Championship; Montville Township Places Two in Finals

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On December 10, 2013

In National Circuit Results

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Princeton Univesity hosted its 17th annual Princeton Classic last weekend in Princeton, New Jersey and thirty extempers braved the weather to compete for the tournament title. Cristine Oh of Montville Township High School (NJ) took the championship by two ranks over Devon Kerr of Scarsdale High School (NY). Connor Fitzgibbon of Unionville Area High School (PA) took third. Montville Township had more extemp finalists than any other school, placing two competitors in the final round.

The extempers that reached the final round earned a TOC qualifying leg. Ellis Sargeant of St. Joseph’s Preparatory School (PA) completed his TOC qualification by earning his second qualifying leg. Competitors that earned a TOC qualifying leg are indicated in italics in the results listing.

Here are the results of the Princeton Classic (Click here for tab sheet):

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The U.S.-Afghan Bilateral Security Agreement (BSA)

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On December 10, 2013

In Topic Brief, U.S. Extemp

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The United States invaded Afghanistan on October 7, 2001 to topple the country’s Taliban-led government, capture Osama bin Laden, and destroy al-Qaeda.  The war has been America’s longest conflict and more than 2,000 American troops have been killed and more than 19,000 have been wounded.  Since the Iraq invasion of 2003, Afghanistan has played second fiddle to the global war on terrorism and the war has largely been ignored by the national media since President Obama assumed office in 2009.  Although President Obama committed more American forces to Afghanistan, which emulated the “surge” strategy used in Iraq in 2007, America’s presence in the country is beginning to wind down.  2014 marks the end of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s (NATO) combat mission and the United States is trying to negotiate a bilateral security agreement (BSA) with Afghan President Hamid Karzai that would allow American forces to remain in the country to train Afghan soldiers and continue counterterrorism operations.  However, while Afghan elders have approved of the BSA, President Karzai has said that he will not sign the agreement until after Afghanistan holds presidential elections in April.  He has also issued new conditions that the United States must agree to in order to get him to sign the BSA.  The United States argues that Karzai cannot wait that long to sign the agreement and that if he fails to do so soon they will withdraw all combat forces from the country by the end of the 2014.

This topic brief will discuss the terms of the BSA, Karzai’s objections to the current agreement, and discuss the likelihood of the United States reaching a BSA agreement with Afghanistan by April of next year.

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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R&D: The U.S.-Afghan Bilateral Security Agreement (BSA)

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On December 10, 2013

In R&D

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Here is today’s premium R&D to accompany today’s premium topic brief on the U.S.-Afghan Bilateral Security Agreement (BSA).

 

 

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HotTopics: International Extemp Questions for the Week of December 9th-15th, 2013

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On December 9, 2013

In International Extemp, Weekly Questions

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HOTtopics1. Does the alleged purge of Jang Song Thaek signify trouble for North Korea?
2. Why is Saudi Arabia cracking down on migrant workers?
3. Who is Africa’s superpower?
4. Should Canada seek a merger with the United States?
5. Is “welfare tourism” a major problem in the European Union?
6. Who was the most significant world figure in 2013?
7. Will the successful completion of the Bali trade accord rejuvenate the Doha trade negotiations?
8. Is the international community doing enough to prevent a widespread bird flu pandemic?
9. Will the Sino-Japanese maritime dispute result in the development of a Japanese nuclear weapons program?
10. South Africa after Mandela: Renewed commitment to racial equality or a Zimbabwe-style disaster in the making?

HotTopics: United States Extemp Questions for the Week of December 9th-15th, 2013

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On December 9, 2013

In U.S. Extemp, Weekly Questions

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HOTtopics1. Is student loan debt the next economic bubble?
2. Should the same laws that apply to cigarettes be applied to e-cigarettes?
3. Can drones become a viable delivery tool for commercial businesses in the United States?
4. What should American universities do to end grade inflation?
5. Should 3D guns be banned?
6. Are executive modifications to the Affordable Care Act constitutional?
7. What should be NASA’s main priority over the next decade?
8. Will Congress achieve a budget deal by January?
9. What steps can be taken to reduce the federal prison population?
10. How should the Federal Reserve respond to the new unemployment rate?

R&D by Prepd: Illinois Pension Reform

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On December 6, 2013

In R&D

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1238112_499167350177246_728795908_nToday’s R&D is brought to you by Prepd, the only software built specifically for extemp. Prepd makes it easy to research, practice, and compete!  Visit www.prepd.in to learn more. Like Prepd on Facebook for special info and contests.

The resources below discuss Illinois pension reform.  Illinois has suffered credit rating downgrades over its public employee pension deficit,which is over $100 billion, and has enacted some reforms as of yesterday to raise the retirement age and reduce cost-of-living increases.  Coupled with Detroit, Illinois pension reform strategy may be copied by other municipal and state governments that are not funding their public employee pensions properly.

 

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2013 George Mason University Patriot Games: Extemp Round Robin Participants

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On December 5, 2013

In National Circuit News

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gmuHere is the list of participants in this year’s George Mason University Patriot Games Extemp Round Robin Tournament, which will take place this weekend in Fairfax, Virginia.  The tournament features eight competitors and is a head-to-head competition.  Each extemper will compete against the other and acquire wins and losses throughout the composition.  The two competitors that post the best win-loss records will participate in an Exhibition Round against each other.  This year’s field features four finalists from last year’s NFL National Tournament and a collection of winners from this year’s major national circuit tournaments.  Last year’s champion was Lily Nellans of Des Moines Roosevelt High School (IA), who will try to become the first two-time champion in tournament history.  We thank Bill Thompson for providing us with this list and wish all competitors the best of luck in the Round Robin.

*Carunya Achar (Cypress Creek High School, Texas)
*Brian Anderson (LaRue County High School, Kentucky)
*Chase Harrison (Millburn High School, New Jersey)
*Rabul Nanchahal (Freedom High School, Virginia)
*Lily Nellans (Des Moines Roosevelt High School, Iowa)
*Miles Saffran (Trinity Preparatory School, Florida)
*Josh Wartel (Lake Braddock Secondary School, Virginia)
*Henry Zelenka (Kent Denver School, Colorado)

R&D by Prepd: Political Unrest in Ukraine

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On December 5, 2013

In R&D

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l_2Today’s R&D is brought to you by Prepd, the only software built specifically for extemp. Prepd makes it easy to research, practice, and compete!  Visit www.prepd.in to learn more. Like Prepd on Facebook for special info and contests.

Below are a list of resources that cover the current political unrest in Ukraine, which has become a “cold” proxy conflict between the European Union (EU) and Russia.  Economists argue that joining the EU would benefit Ukraine, but Russia has warned that doing so may endanger the country’s gas shipments.  Ukraine’s current president, Viktor Yanukovych, was ousted by a popular protest called the “Orange Revolution” in 2004, but made a political comeback and became Ukraine’s president in 2010. As an interesting aside, the current protests against Yanukovych are being carried out by the current world heavyweight boxing champion Vitali Klitschko.

 

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Strategy: Framing Questions

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On December 4, 2013

In Strategy

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by Logan Scisco

The first ninety seconds of an extemporaneous speech are very important because it introduces the audience to the topic that you have selected to speak on.  Not only do you need an affective attention getting device (AGD), which has been written about extensively on this website and others like it on the Internet, but you also need to provide sufficient background on your question.  A mistake that inexperienced competitors make is that they jump directly from their AGD to the question, completely ignoring the fact that they need to give the audience some background information on their topic.  This week’s strategy piece will explain how you can provide sufficient background information on your topic and avoid this problem.

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Extemp Central News Quiz for the Week of December 2nd-8th, 2013

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On December 4, 2013

In Quiz

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

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The Temporary Iranian Nuclear Deal

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On December 3, 2013

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

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In the morning hours of November 24th the P5+1, the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council (The United States, Russia, Great Britain, France, and China) and Germany reached a six month agreement with Iran over its nuclear program.  Since 2002, when Iranian dissidents revealed the scope of Iran’s nuclear activities, the international community has tried to prevent Iran from acquiring the capacity to produce a nuclear weapon.  The Islamic Republic insists that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes, but the United States, Saudi Arabia, Israel, and other international actors believe that Iran is seeking to acquire a nuclear weapons program to enhance its strategic position in the Middle East.  The agreement, the Joint Plan of Action, is an interim agreement that is supposed to lay the foundation for a more comprehensive deal that could prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons capability and lead to closer U.S.-Iranian relations, which have been strained since the Islamic Republic was born in 1979.

This topic brief will break down the Joint Plan of Action, evaluate the reactions of Americans, Saudis, and Israelis to the deal, and then discuss the chances for a more holistic agreement on Iran’s nuclear program by the summer of 2014.

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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R&D: The Temporary Iranian Nuclear Deal

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On December 3, 2013

In R&D

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Here is today’s premium R&D to accompany today’s premium topic brief on the temporary deal on Iran’s nuclear program.

 

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HotTopics: United States Extemp Question for the Week of December 2nd-8th, 2013

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On December 2, 2013

In U.S. Extemp, Weekly Questions

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HOTtopics1. How should Illinois handle its pension crisis?
2. Would Congressional action to curtail the NSA’s spying activities harm American national security?
3. How should the FEC handle Bitcoin donations to political candidates?
4. If it provided workers with a “living wage,” what would happen to Wal-Mart’s business prospects?
5. Do state governments have a revenue problem or a size problem?
6. Should the U.S. abandon Afghanistan after 2014?
7. Will the Supreme Court find that the Affordable Care Act’s mandate that companies must provide contraceptives is unconstitutional?
8. Is it incorrect to assume that Latinos are a natural Democratic constituency?
9. Can new rules on the political activities of 501(c)(4) non-profits make American politics more transparent?
10. How should the United States respond to the contested Honduran presidential election?

HotTopics: International Extemp Questions for the Week of December 2nd-8th, 2013

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On December 2, 2013

In International Extemp, Weekly Questions

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HOTtopics1. Does the Iranian nuclear deal provide a framework for dealing with North Korea’s nuclear program?
2. Who stands to benefit most from the recent Egyptian draft constitution?
3. Will the SPD approve of the party’s grand coalition agreement with the CDU/CSU?
4. Does Moody’s upgrade of Greece’s debt rating signal that the country is on the road to fiscal recovery?
5. Is the Orange Revolution returning to Ukraine?
6. Will gay rights create tension between the European Union and Eastern European countries that desire membership?
7. Is France becoming Africa’s international policeman?
8. Will Silvio Berlusconi’s expulsion from the Italian Senate eliminate his influence in Italian politics?
9. Should Hamid Karzai sign the existing U.S.-Afghan security deal?
10. Will Mexican tax reform harm the country’s manufacturing sector?

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