Month: October 2015 Page 1 of 3

R&D from Prepd: Weekly Roundup for the Week of October 26-November 1, 2015

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On October 30, 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 October 26-November 1, 2015.

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R&D from Prepd: The Saudi Economy

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On October 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.

This R&D provides resources on Saudi Arabia’s economy.  The International Monetary Fund (IMF) recently issued a report that suggests that the kingdom may run out of financial assets in less than five years.  This is largely due to the slumping global oil price, which means that Saudi Arabia is running a double digit budget deficit this year.  The same is projected for next year.  The IMF is recommending that Saudi Arabia enact significant spending cuts in order to keep the deficits under control.

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Canada’s Parliamentary Elections (2015)

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On October 28, 2015

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Last Monday, Canadian voters delivered a stunning victory to the Liberal Party, a result deemed unthinkable several weeks ago.  Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s Conservative Party lost its governing majority, losing sixty seats.  Meanwhile, the Liberals gained an amazing 148 seats due to the impressive campaigning of its young leader Justin Trudeau, the oldest son of former Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau.  Observers noted that the Liberal victory was due to Canada’s faltering economy as well as perceptions that Harper’s government was inconsiderate toward the plight of Syrian refugees and neglectful of Canada’s proper place in global affairs.  A Trudeau-led government has promised to change Canada’s fiscal policy and reform the nation’s drug laws.  The Liberals are also poised to alter Canada’s foreign policy, especially with respect to environmental and security issues.  What is certain is that the Liberals will have to contend with a new Conservative Party, as Harper announced his resignation as party leader following the announcement of the election results.

This topic brief will provide a summary of the 2015 Canadian elections, discuss the top domestic and international priorities of the Trudeau government, and then analyze what Stephen Harper’s legacy as Canadian prime minister might be.

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: Canada’s Parliamentary Elections (2015)

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On October 28, 2015

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Here is today’s premium R&D to accompany today’s premium topic brief on Canada’s parliamentary elections (2015).

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Extemp Central News Quiz for the Week of October 26-November 1, 2015

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On October 27, 2015

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

To accesquiz-01s a list of all our old quizzes, click here.

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R&D from Prepd: Standardized Testing in America’s Schools

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On October 27, 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.

This R&D provides resources on standardized testing in America’s schools.  As a result of the school accountability movement, testing requirements in the nation’s schools have risen in recent decades.  A recent report by the Council of the Great City Schools says that that the testing load for students in urban districts is too much and that there is a lack of coordination between exams.  The Obama administration says that it will work to encourage states to reduce the testing load among all American students to constitute less than 2% of classroom time and make the tests fairer for students of different backgrounds.

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HotTopics: International Extemp Questions for the Week of October 26-November 1, 2015

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On October 26, 2015

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HOTtopics1. Does Great Britain need to become more active in global affairs?
2. Are term limits needed to ensure an effective democratic system of governance?
3. Will the TPP go into effect within the next five years?
4. Was Iran the winner of its nuclear deal with the West?
5. What steps should the international community take to combat extreme poverty?
6. Should European nations give control of their external borders to EU officials?
7. Is Saudi Arabia headed for economic disaster?
8. Why did Stephen Harper lose the Canadian elections?
9. Would a more powerful UN significantly reduce global tensions?
10. Is a two state solution in Israel’s best interest?

HotTopics: United States Extemp Questions for the Week of October 26-November 1, 2015

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On October 26, 2015

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HOTtopics1. Can Paul Ryan become a more effective Speaker than John Boehner?
2. Would a Jim Webb independent bid for the presidency make the GOP’s presidential path to victory more complicated?
3. Is California ready for El Nino?
4. How can the U.S. implement climate change mitigation efforts in an economically effective way?
5. Can “The Primary School” serve as a model for school reform in the U.S.?
6. Should more states pursue the legalization of marijuana?
7. Can Jeb Bush’s presidential campaign be saved?
8. Is there too much testing in America’s schools?
9. What should be America’s foreign policy in the Middle East?
10. Will next week’s gubernatorial elections have any impact on the 2016 presidential election?

R&D from Prepd: Weekly Roundup for the Week of October 19-25, 2015

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On October 23, 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 October 19-25, 2015.

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R&D from Prepd: Joe Biden Opting Not to Run For President

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On October 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.

Today’s R&D provides resources on Vice President Joe Biden opting not to seek the Democratic presidential nomination.  Biden made the announcement at the White House yesterday.  His decision paves the way for former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to be the Democratic nominee as pundits do not give her socialist challenger, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, good odds to beat her.

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A Third Intifada?

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On October 21, 2015

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October has been a bloody month in East Jerusalem.  Palestinian youth, responding to rumors that Israel is planning to take over the Temple Mount, revered as a holy site for Jews and Muslims, are clashing with Israeli security personnel and launching random, “lone wolf” attacks on Israeli civilians.  In response, the Israeli government has imposed movement controls and other preventative measures, but critics contend that this will serve to exacerbate tensions rather than produce a lasting solution.  Some experts contend that Palestinians are engaging in a third intifada, or uprising, and this would be the second time in two years that Palestinians are reacting violently against the Israeli government.  Frustrated at their political leadership, Israeli settlement expansion, and the lack of progress toward a two-state solution, it is believed that some Palestinians are responding through violence to bring greater international attention to their plight. 

This topic brief will explore the causes of the recent unrest between Palestinians and Israelis, explore Israeli responses, and then explain why it is unlikely that the causes of the violence will be solved in the near future.

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: A Third Intifada?

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On October 21, 2015

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Here is today’s premium R&D to accompany today’s premium topic brief on the third intifada.

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Extemp Central News Quiz for the Week of October 19-25, 2015

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On October 20, 2015

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

To accesquiz-01s a list of all our old quizzes, click here.

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R&D from Prepd: Brazil’s Political Intrigue

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On October 20, 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.

This R&D provides resources on Brazil’s political intrigue.  President Dilma Rousseff is facing an impeachment effort in the midst of swirling allegations of fiscal mismanagement.  Furthermore, Rousseff is under fire to replace finance minister Joaquim Levy.  Brazil is coping with its worst economic downturn in nearly a century and the nation’s fiscal problems are aggravated by corruption inquiries into major politicians.  The Brazilian opposition accuses Rousseff of hiding the liabilities of social programs in the 2014 national budget, which would violate the nation’s fiscal responsibility law.

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HotTopics: United States Extemp Questions for the Week of October 19-25, 2015

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On October 19, 2015

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HOTtopics1. Did President Obama make the right decision regarding American troops in Afghanistan?
2. Should the U.S. rethink birthright citizenship?
3. Is a genuine marketplace for health insurance possible?
4. Will 2016 be a “rage election”?
5. Would a mandatory buyback program of firearms in the U.S. violate the Second Amendment?
6. How should the U.S. react to unrest in Israel and the Palestinian territories?
7. Will Rand Paul be the next Republican to drop out of the 2016 presidential contest?
8. Should the federal government withhold funding from sanctuary cities?
9. How should Hawaii handle its homelessness problem?
10. Is there a place for Joe Biden in the 2016 Democratic presidential primary?

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