Month: March 2015 Page 1 of 4

Nicaragua’s Grand Canal

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In the nineteenth century Western policymakers became enamored with the idea of establishing a canal across Central America.  While extempers are aware of today’s Panama Canal, which was constructed by United States between 1904 and 1914, Nicaragua was actually the first choice for a Central American canal project that would link the Caribbean and the Pacific Ocean, thereby reducing shipping times and costs.  When the United States chose to build a canal through Panama it abandoned the idea of a Nicaraguan canal entirely, but the project has been revived by the Nicaraguan government and Chinese telecommunications tycoon Wang Jing.  Two years ago, the Nicaraguan National Assembly granted a canal concession to Mr. Wang’s Hong Kong Canal Development Group (HKND), who will operate the canal for one hundred years, with the Nicaraguan government achieving a majority stake in the canal after fifty years.  The project will cost an estimated $50 billion and is supposed to be completed within the next five years.  However, opposition is growing from indigenous communities, environmental activists, and Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega’s political opponents.  There are also questions about whether the canal project is feasible and some engineers wonder whether the Grand Canal will eventually become a “grand mistake.”

This topic brief will provide some background on the existing Grand Canal project, highlight the Nicaraguan government’s case for why the canal needs to be built, and then discuss criticisms of the project.

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

R&D: Nicaragua’s Grand Canal

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Here is today’s premium R&D to accompany today’s premium topic brief on Nicaragua’s Grand Canal.

HotTopics: United States Extemp Questions for the Week of March 30-April 5, 2015

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HOTtopics1. What reforms should the U.S. make to its juvenile justice system?
2. Should the U.S. adopt a position of neutrality in the Syrian civil war?
3. What is the source of American income inequality?
4. Would it be electorally wise for the Democrats to move in a more progressive policy direction?
5. Should the U.S. increase funding for nuclear energy?
6. Do reforms need to be made to the U.S. food stamp program?
7. Should Democrats make Elizabeth Warren the new Senate Minority Leader?
8. Does Indiana’s “religious freedom” significantly threaten gay rights?
9. How are Senate retirements affecting the 2016 congressional elections?
10. Can Ted Cruz win?

HotTopics: International Extemp Questions for the Week of March 30-April 5, 2015

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HOTtopics1. Does Canada’s anti-terrorism bill go too far?
2. Should Dilma Rousseff be impeached?
3. Will troubles with Middle Eastern nations force Sweden to adjust its feminist foreign policy?
4. Should other countries replicate the American model of higher education?
5. Were the recent Nigerian elections a victory for militant groups?
6. Does Israel need the U.S. more than the U.S. needs Israel?
7. Is David Cameron’s idea for a 24/7 NHS feasible?
8. Who is responsible for Yemen’s unrest?
9. Can an Arab League peacekeeping force curtail the growth of Islamic militants in the Middle East?
10. What should Lufthansa do in response to the crash of Germanwings Flight 9525?

R&D from Prepd: Weekly Roundup for the Week of March 23-29, 2015

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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.

Here is our weekly survey of news stories to round out the week of March 23-29, 2015.

2015 Georgia Forensic Coaches Association State Tournament: Lombardo Gives Henry W. Grady Its Fourth Straight Extemporaneous Speaking State Title

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Henry W. Grady High School continued its winning tradition at this year’s Georgia Forensic Coaches Association (GFCA) State Tournament when Sam Lombardo and Keegan Hasson took the top two places in extemporaneous speaking. Lombardo won the tournament with a cumulative score of four in the final round, three ranks better than Hasson’s cumulative score of seven. Yugnash Malik of Lee County High School was the third place finisher.

Henry W. Grady has won the last four GFCA state titles in extemporaneous speaking. At this year’s tournament, the school had half of the final round, with Denis Goldsman finishing fifth to go along with Lombardo and Hasson’s performances.

All of the extempers who reached the final round earned an automatic qualification to the 2015 Extemporaneous Speaking Tournament of Champions (TOC) at Northwestern University.

Here are the results of the 2015 Georgia Forensic Coaches Association State State Tournament (Click here for tab sheet):

R&D from Prepd: Israeli Legislative Elections

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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.

This R&D provides articles on the recent Israeli legislative elections.  The election saw the highest turnout since the 1999 legislative elections and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud Party staged a comeback victory, winning a plurality of thirty seats.  The Zionist Union of Isaac Herzog and Tzipi Livni finished in second place with twenty-four seats.  Due to the performance of other right-wing parties, it is assumed that Netanyahu will retain his position as prime minister.  The recent election was also notable because twenty-nine women were elected to the Knesset, which is the largest number in Israeli history.

Extemp Central News Quiz for the Week of March 23-29, 2015

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

To access a list of all our old quizzes, click here.

R&D from Prepd: Loretta Lynch’s Confirmation

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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.

This R&D provides resources for the confirmation of attorney general nominee Loretta Lynch.  Lynch was nominated by President Obama last November to succeed Attorney General Eric Holder, but Republicans have delayed a confirmation vote.  Senate Major Mitch McConnell says that he wants a domestic human trafficking bill passed before a vote is held.  Such a bill has failed to overcome Democratic filibuster over language in the legislation about federal abortion funding.  Some of the Republican opposition to Lynch is also tied to their anger of Holder’s managing of the Justice Department and they do not want an attorney general that is poised to continue some of his policies.  Lynch could become the first female African-American attorney general in American history if she is confirmed.  Experts believe that a confirmation vote is not likely to take place until April 13, when the Senate is due to resume business.

U.S.-Iranian Relations (2015)

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When he was elected in 2008, President Barack Obama went to great lengths to convince voters and the rest of the world that he would not continue many of the foreign policies of George W. Bush.  Bush’s presidency is most remembered for the war in Iraq, a campaign that cost thousands of American lives and destabilized the Middle East.  However, while the war in Iraq dominated the headlines, the prospects of a nuclear Iran also loomed over the region.  In 2002, Iranian dissidents revealed that the Islamic Republic was pursuing a covert nuclear program.  Since that time, the United States and its European partners, as well as China, have worked to contain the country’s nuclear ambitions, imposing sanctions to force the Iranian government to the negotiating table.  In 2013, Iran agreed to an interim accord that saw it agree to restrictions on its nuclear program in return for some sanction relief.  The United States hopes to have an agreement with Iran by June, thereby averting military action and possibly beginning the restoration of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

This topic brief will discuss recent steps toward finalizing a nuclear deal with Iran, the domestic politics and controversies surrounding such a deal, and how a closer U.S.-Iranian relationship may alter the geopolitical situation in the Middle East.  Extempers are encouraged to read last season’s topic brief on the Iranian nuclear accord in order to understand more of the background of U.S.-Iranian relations.

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

U.S.-Iranian Relations (2015)

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Here is today’s premium R&D to accompany today’s premium topic brief on U.S.-Iranian relations (2015).

HotTopics: International Extemp Questions for the Week of March 23-29, 2015

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HOTtopics1. Is the international community doing enough to combat human trafficking?
2. Does the far right or the far left pose the biggest threat to European stability?
3. Is Somalia’s security situation improving?
4. What rights should asylum seekers in Europe possess?
5. Is a sharing economy sustainable?
6. Does Goodluck Jonathan deserve to be re-elected?
7. Is the Islamic State becoming a legitimate state actor?
8. How can Japan, China, and South Korea work together to reduce regional tensions?
9. Is a bad deal better than no deal when it comes to Iran’s nuclear program?
10. Who was the biggest loser of the Israeli parliamentary elections?

HotTopics: United States Extemp Questions for the Week of March 23-29, 2015

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HOTtopics1. Who is 2016’s most vulnerable senator?
2. Should TSA agents carry guns?
3. How can New York City better tackle its homeless problem?
4. Is President Obama right about the GOP budget proposal?
5. How can the American gun control movement reverse its sagging fortunes?
6. Will the outcome of the Israeli parliamentary elections worsen U.S.-Israeli relations?
7. What reforms need to be made to Medicare?
8. Should the U.S. end ethanol subsidies?
9. Will the GOP win the Loretta Lynch nomination battle?
10. Should the U.S. make voting mandatory?

2015 Kentucky High School Speech League State Championship: Anderson Makes History With Third Consecutive Championship

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Brian Anderson of LaRue County High School made history at this year’s Kentucky High School Speech League (KHSSL) State Championshp by winning the extemporaneous speaking state title for the third consecutive year.

Anderson, last year’s Barkley Forum champion and who at one time was the top ranked extemper in the country in the Extemp Central National Points Race, went straight 1’s in the semi-final and final rounds of the tournament to defeat Jared Thomas of Harrison County High School by three ranks.  Thomas finished third at last year’s tournament.

Lane Hedrick of Rowan County Senior High School, a two-time winner of the George C. Armstrong Heart of Illinois Invitational at Bradley University, finished third.

All of the finalists earned an automatic qualification to this year’s Extemp TOC at Northwestern University by virtue of making the tournament final round. This gives Kentucky five new TOC qualifiers as Anderson was already pre-qualified due to reaching elimination rounds at last year’s TOC.

Here are the results of the 2015 Kentucky High School Speech League State Championship (Click here for tab sheet):

R&D from Prepd: Weekly Roundup for the Week of March 16-22, 2015

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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.

Here is our weekly survey of news stories to round out the week of March 16-22, 2015.

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