February 2022 - Page 2 of 2

R&D from Prepd: The Ottawa Truck Protests

On February 11, 2022

Today’s R&D is brought to you by Prepd (pronounced “prepped”). Prepd is building debate technology that helps extempers and congressional debaters research, practice, and compete. Visit www.prepd.in to learn more.

This week’s R&D provides resources on the Ottawa truck protests. For the past week truckers who are protesting the Canadian government’s COVID-19 vaccination mandate for those crossing the U.S.-Canadian border have blocked traffic in the Canadian capital city. They have been joined by other far-right groups and opponents of Justin Trudeau’s Liberal government. The protests also played a role in the ouster of Erin O’Toole, the moderate leader of Canada’s Conservative Party. There are also fears by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security that similar protests could occur in the United States, causing economic chaos.

Explainer: How Ottawa’s anti-vaccine mandate protests are spreading globally https://t.co/1eTffYVGoc pic.twitter.com/zFRS3GjqCN

— Reuters (@Reuters) February 10, 2022

A convoy of trucks and other vehicles operated by people protesting Covid-19 vaccine mandates and social restrictions are clogging downtown Ottawa. Here’s what you need to know. https://t.co/N9j37yajy1

— The Wall Street Journal (@WSJ) February 10, 2022

The optics of Canada’s usually placid and orderly national capital overtaken by truckers and their supporters protesting coronavirus restrictions has shaken the country. https://t.co/rilknmOiDU

— New York Times World (@nytimesworld) February 9, 2022

Extemp Central News Quiz for the Week of February 7-13, 2022

By geniao44446

On February 9, 2022

In Quiz

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

HotTopics: International Extemp Questions for the Week of February 7-13, 2022

By geniao44446

On February 7, 2022

In International Extemp, Weekly Questions

1. Has India experienced a “lost decade”?
2. Should Great Britain abolish the monarchy after the death of Queen Elizabeth II?
3. What does the ouster of Erin O’Toole mean for the future of Canada’s Conservative Party?
4. Are the EU’s PIGS on the road to recovery?
5. Should the IOC create a permanent location for future Olympics?
6. Does Ukraine need to join NATO?
7. Will central bankers around the world have to take aggressive steps to combat inflation?
8. Is the death of Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi a major blow to ISIS?
9. Should countries abandon “zero COVID” policies?
10. Is it in China’s best interest to form a closer relationship with Russia?

HotTopics: United States Extemp Questions for the Week of February 7-13, 2022

By geniao44446

On February 7, 2022

In U.S. Extemp, Weekly Questions

1. What role, if any, should the Federal Reserve play in tackling climate change?
2. Would President Biden’s threatened sanctions on Russia create significant economic hardship in the United States?
3. Meta Platforms: Buy or sell?
4. Will the raid against Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi strengthen or weaken America’s standing in the Islamic world?
5. How forcefully should Republicans push back against President Biden’s Supreme Court pick?
6. What fixes does the U.S. need to make to the child care system?
7. Are recent state efforts to purge CRT from schools constitutional?
8. Is it time for Nancy Pelosi to pass her leadership position off to a younger Democrat?
9. Does the latest jobs report show that the U.S. economy will experience strong growth in 2022?
10. How would positive economic news over the next nine months impact the midterm elections?

2022 Montgomery Bell Academy Extemp Round Robin Field is Released!

By geniao44446

On February 6, 2022

In MBA Coverage, National Circuit News

Adam Johnson, the tournament director of the Montgomery Bell Academy Extemp Round Robin, recently released the sixteen participants of this year’s event, which will take place in person in Nashville, Tennessee on March 4-6. MBA will be the first major tournament of the season and will be a second tier tournament, awarding 150 National Points Race points to the winner and points to extempers that make the top six.

This year’s field features extempers from ten states, with five of the top ten extempers in the National Points Race participating. Two schools – Plano West Senior High School (TX) and the Harker School (CA) – have multiple extempers competing.

Congratulations to the following extempers for being invited to this year’s round robin!

*Peter Alisky (Smoky Hill High School, Colorado)
*Katelyn Cai (BASIS Scottsdale, Arizona)
*William Chien (The Harker School, California)
*Chirag Choudhary (Unionville High School, Pennsylvania)
*Mukta Dharmapurikar (Durham Academy, North Carolina)
*Gabriel Frank-McPheter (Gabrielino High School, California)
*Charles Hou (Plano West Senior High School, Texas)
*Michelle Jin (The Harker School, California)
*Daniel Kind (Lake Highland Preparatory, Florida)
*Kyle Letterer (Plano West Senior High School, Texas)
*McKinley Paltzik (Phoenix Country Day School, Arizona)
*Cameron Roberts (Jack C. Hays High School, Texas)
*Cade Savoy (Teurlings Catholic High School, Louisiana)
*Alex Sorgini (LaSalle College High School, Pennsylvania)
*Ananth Veluvali (Edina High School, Minnesota)
*Faye Zhang (Eastview High School, Minnesota)

R&D from Prepd: Justice Stephen Breyer’s Retirement & Replacement

By geniao44446

On February 4, 2022

In R&D, U.S. Extemp

Today’s R&D is brought to you by Prepd (pronounced “prepped”). Prepd is building debate technology that helps extempers and congressional debaters research, practice, and compete. Visit www.prepd.in to learn more.

This week’s R&D provides resources on Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer’s retirement and replacement. Breyer, a moderate liberal who has been on the Supreme Court since 1994, recently announced his retirement from the bench, allowing President Joe Biden the opportunity to make the first Supreme Court pick of his administration. Biden announced that he will fill the vacancy with a Black woman, fulfilling a campaign pledge. Rumored candidates include U.S. District Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, California Supreme Court Justice Leondra R. Kruger, and U.S. District Judge J. Michelle Childs.

A source told TIME that Biden is considering ten candidates for the vacancy opened by Stephen Breyerhttps://t.co/nEQYL0WA63

— TIME (@TIME) February 3, 2022

Who will replace Stephen Breyer? @ElieNYC predicts: https://t.co/PUdJ5EKIls

— The Nation (@thenation) January 31, 2022

Supreme Court battles have become scorched-earth affairs, but President Biden’s pledge to name a Black woman to fill the vacancy has Republicans weighing how aggressive to be in opposing the nominee and how to do so without appearing racist and sexist. https://t.co/Oxx5LBvQWF

— NYT Politics (@nytpolitics) February 2, 2022

2021-2022 Extemp Central National Points Race: New Standings Released to Reflect the Barkley Forum!

By geniao44446

On February 3, 2022

In National Points Race

Updated standings for the 2021-2022 Extemp Central National Points Race have been posted! You can find them by clicking on the “National Points Race” tab at the top of the page or by clicking here.

The new standings reflect the results of last weekend’s Barkley Forum, which was a fourth tier event in the National Points Race. The winner, Daniel Kind of Lake Highland Preparatory (FL), received 70 points and all extempers who reached the semi-finals earned points as well.

The next National Points Race tournament was going to be at Stanford in two weeks, but unfortunately Stanford University cancelled their event. In three weeks there will be a trifecta of National Points Race events. Harvard will award the most points as it is a second tier event that will give 150 points to its winner and give points to all extempers that reach octo-finals. The other two will be the California Invitational, a third tier event awarding 100 points to its champion and credit to all quarter-finalists, and the Marshall Speech Mini-Spectacular, a fifth tier event that will give 40 points to its winner and points to all other finalists. These will be the last regular season tournaments until the circuit post-season begins.

Extemp Central News Quiz for the Week of January 31-February 6, 2022

By geniao44446

On February 2, 2022

In Quiz

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

2022 Barkley Forum: Kind Breaks National Points Race Record With Victory; Bo and Letterer Give Plano West Two Finalists

By geniao44446

On February 1, 2022

In National Circuit Results

Last week Emory University hosted its annual Barkley Forum, which was held online for the second straight year. #1 Daniel Kind of Lake Highland Preparatory (FL) won his sixth consecutive National Points Race event – a new record – and successfully defended his title against a field of 66 extempers. Kind took three first place ranks in the final round, defeating #21 Gabriel Bo of Plano West Senior High School (TX) by three ranks. Natasha Banga of Coppell High School (TX) placed third, five ranks behind Bo.

Two other finalists were ranked in the top 10 of the National Points Race. #5 Marc Zavarro of Western High School (FL) placed fourth and #8 Kyle Letterer of Plano West, who won United States Extemp at the Longhorn Classic last month, was fifth.

Theodore Gercken of College Preparatory School (CA) placed sixth.

Other notable finishes saw #14 Praveen Kumar of the Hawken School (OH) and #18 William Chien of the Harker School (CA) make the semi-final round. #14 Phoena Lin of Plano West reached quarter-finals.

Since the Barkley Forum is a fourth tier tournament in the National Points Race all extempers who reached semi-finals will receive points and new standings will be released later this week.

In terms of TOC qualifications, all finalists receive a bid to the University of Kentucky TOC while all semi-finalists receive a bid to the Extemp TOC.

Here are the results of the 2022 Barkley Forum (Click here for tab sheet):

Month: February 2022