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Here is this week’s Extemp Central news quiz. Good luck!
To acces
s a list of all our old quizzes, click here.
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Today’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 from Prepd provides resources on Social Security. The program was part of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s New Deal in 1935, but is now encountering problems related to a lack of workers for current retirees and questions about whether benefit cuts will have to take place in order to keep the program afloat. The popularity of the program has traditionally thwarted radical attempts to change it, as former President George W. Bush experienced first-hand in 2005. Nevertheless, members of both parties agree that some type of adjustment will have to take place within the program within the next twenty years to make it sustainable.
The link between income inequality and Social Security benefits is growing https://t.co/VYHgXG9GKv pic.twitter.com/Jr2hJseTiw
— Real Time Economics (@WSJecon) April 25, 2016
Why some Social Security benefits are going away soon https://t.co/ChLHfc7Vte @olivialowenberg pic.twitter.com/RtwSOiOAAp
— CS Monitor (@csmonitor) April 24, 2016
It’s time to end Social Security for the rich, recommends @stuartmbutler: https://t.co/FAhew51xWm pic.twitter.com/hnQUkv3YIf
— Brookings (@BrookingsInst) April 16, 2016
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If Levenson had defeated Zheng he would have become the first non-Californian to win the tournament in eleven years.
As expected, California schools dominated the tournament, with twelve of the fifteen competitors that survived to the semi-finals and finals coming from the state. However, there were some notable names that made the trip to Berkeley. One of them was Glenbrooks winner Marshall Webb of Saint Mary’s Hall (TX), who finished in fifth place.
All of the competitors that reached the quarter-final round and beyond will earn National Points Race points. The new National Points Race standings will be released late Wednesday night.
Here are the results of the 2016 California Invitational (Click here for tab sheet):
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1. Is Macedonia bound to become the next flare-up in the Western-Russian relationship?
2. Are there any economic benefits to climate change?
3. What are the strategic implications of Japan building a stealth jet?
4. How can Saudi Arabia liberate its economy from dependence on foreign oil exports?
5. Is ISIS a more dangerous terror group than al-Qaeda?
6. Will President Obama’s entrance into the Brexit debate help or hinder pro-EU forces?
7. How will a recent earthquake affect Ecuador’s economy?
8. Will the Freedom Party win the second round of the Austrian presidential election?
9. Should the international community create “safe zones” inside of Syria?
10. Will new UN sanctions against North Korea restrict the communist nation’s nuclear program?
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1. What is one policy position that Donald Trump needs to become more specific about if he wants to win the presidency?
2. How important is a constitutional right to privacy?
3. Should the FBI disclose the security holes in the San Bernardino iPhone to Apple?
4. What fixes should be made to Social Security?
5. Can North Carolina afford to keep its “bathroom bill” on the books?
6. Has Paul Ryan been an ineffective Speaker?
7. Would placing American ground troops in Syria be a mistake?
8. If you were John Kasich, how would you attempt to secure the Republican presidential nomination at the Cleveland convention?
9. Would agreeing to and ratifying the TTIP help the U.S. economy?
10. Does Harriet Tubman deserve to be on the $20 bill?
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Two months ago, Harvard University held its 42nd edition of its National Forensics Tournament. Katherine Hu of Plano Senior High School (TX) was the winner, achieving a five rank victory after taking three of the five available first place ranks in the final round. Marshall Sloane of Milton Academy (MA) finished in second place, continuing an impressive second semester string of showings in National Points Race tournaments. Montgomery Bell Academy Extemp Round Robin winner Vaikunth Balaji of Ridge High School (NJ) finished third.
Hu’s victory makes her the first Texas extemper since at least 2000 to win Harvard. She also becomes the second female winner of the tournament in the last five years, as Lily Nellans of Des Moines Roosevelt High School won the tournament in 2012.
Since Harvard is a second tier tournament in the National Points Race, Hu will earn 150 points for her victory. National Points Race leader Justin Graham of Trinity Preparation School (FL) saw his attempt to defend his title end in the preliminary rounds due to a sixth place rank in the second round. All of the competitors that reached elimination rounds earned National Points Race points.
Here are the results of the 2016 Harvard University National High School Invitational (Click here for tab sheet):
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Today’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 April 18-24, 2016.
Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump won big in the Big Apple https://t.co/1HMyK4bfsW pic.twitter.com/czjvUMZHmm
— The Economist (@TheEconomist) April 21, 2016
How America can reap the benefits of Brexit. https://t.co/NhLdENAD9j pic.twitter.com/7252wu7fsz
— Foreign Policy (@ForeignPolicy) April 21, 2016
FBI admits it paid $1.3m to hack into San Bernardino shooter’s iPhone https://t.co/UZS4VNxseh
— The Guardian (@guardian) April 21, 2016
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Today’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 information about the sale of Yahoo! The Internet search engine reportedly has $7.1 billion in cash and has a core business that is estimated to be worth more than $4 billion, but it has failed to displace Google and its ventures into multimedia have largely failed. Companies such as Google, Verizon, Microsoft, and the Daily Mail have been reported as possible buyers, but private equity firms may try to buy the company and then sell off its various assets.
Yahoo’s Marissa Mayer insists she isn’t dragging her feet in talks to sell the company https://t.co/tJLRe0FfRo pic.twitter.com/XBbxcDSMMb
— Financial Times (@FT) April 20, 2016
Daily Mail says it hasn’t submitted bid to purchase Yahoo https://t.co/uEu5iTFgyv 🔓
— WSJD (@WSJD) April 20, 2016
So if Yahoo has $7.1 billion in cash on hand, why would a buyer think they could get it for $3 billion less? https://t.co/U1Myonp6tU
— CNBC (@CNBC) April 20, 2016
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Arguably the biggest demand of the progressive activists over the last two years has been a demand for a $15 minimum wage. Striking the nation’s low-wage establishments such as fast food chains, advocates insist that a massive wage hike would significantly dent poverty and provide a sufficient boost to the U.S. economy. The “Fight for $15” movement has scored victories in cities such as Seattle and most recently in New York and California. The Democratic primary has also become ground zero for the debate, with Bernie Sanders favoring a $15 federal minimum wage, while Hillary Clinton has adopted a more reserved approach, putting her support behind a $12 federal minimum wage that could be raised if the economy would support a larger increase. Meanwhile, business groups and conservative economists argue that a $15 minimum wage will most states and cities uncompetitive in a global economy and warn that such policies will increase, rather than decrease, poverty in America. What is clear is that this fall’s presidential election could hinge on the economy and whether Americans should receive another minimum wage increase. As a result, extempers should be prepared to discuss this topic and answer questions about it.
This topic brief will provide some important vocabulary to understand the minimum wage debate, highlight the arguments that are in favor of a wage increase, and detail the arguments that are against a $15 minimum wage.
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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Here is today’s premium R&D to accompany today’s premium topic brief on the Fight for $15.
Should you care the $15 minimum wage will make some people worse off? https://t.co/qi01SZuamr pic.twitter.com/acWr4rPT21
— Bloomberg (@business) April 16, 2016
Hillary Clinton says she supports a $15 minimum wage, but with conditions https://t.co/h4TDnxkE03 pic.twitter.com/UorZ1A2CU0
— Slate (@Slate) April 18, 2016
Post-$15 minimum wage plan, data shows job growth in Seattle area restaurants https://t.co/8bL318grG7 pic.twitter.com/nZkVOClMsH
— Forbes (@Forbes) April 17, 2016
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Here is this week’s Extemp Central news quiz. Good luck!
To access a list of all our old quizzes, click here.
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Today’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 U.S.-Saudi relations. President Barack Obama is heading to Saudi Arabia today, but does so in an atmosphere of discord after Saudi Arabia threatened to dump $750 billion in U.S. assets if Congress passes a bill that would enable American citizens to sue the kingdom over the September 11 terror attacks. The dispute shines light on the discord in the relationship between the two countries, with the Saudis already skeptical about President Obama’s outreach to Iran during his presidency.
As Obama heads to #SaudiArabia this week, here’s what you need to know about U.S.-Saudi ties https://t.co/5kp4H95iNI pic.twitter.com/iiXxI7Bpmu
— CFR (@CFR_org) April 18, 2016
Barack Obama travels to Saudi Arabia amid tension over 9/11 law https://t.co/Db2SHyxgLv pic.twitter.com/pg1GwEOe2x
— Telegraph News (@TelegraphNews) April 18, 2016
Why does Obama oppose a bill to let 9/11 victims’ families sue Saudi Arabia? https://t.co/XpUrZ07XFv pic.twitter.com/buJ3p6UA2N
— The Atlantic (@TheAtlantic) April 18, 2016
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1. Are African American leaders serving the interests of their constituents in the 2016 Democratic presidential primary?
2. Should technology companies be barred from using unbreakable encryption in their products?
3. How will more racially diverse public schools affect American education policy?
4. Does the U.S. need to use “hard power” to defend human rights?
5. Is it constitutional for a state to make a religious tax its official book?
6. If the GOP loses the presidential election will they confirm Merrick Garland?
7. Will the Supreme Court deadlock when ruling on the constitutionality of President Obama’s executive order on immigration?
8. Who should buy Yahoo!?
9. Should the U.S. reduce its participation in NATO?
10. Can the GOP afford not to make Donald Trump the nominee if he wins a plurality of delegates by the time of the Cleveland convention?
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1. What steps does Pakistan need to take to better protect its Christian minority?
2. Can the EU solve the migrant crisis without Turkey’s help?
3. Are developing nations doing enough to bolster their disaster response networks?
4. Can a unity government bring peace to South Sudan?
5. Will global oil prices top $100 by the end of the year?
6. What impact will the Panama Papers have on Panamanian politics?
7. Will the decision to move forward with the prosecution of Jan Boehermann weaken Angela Merkel’s political standing?
8. Can Israel afford to give up the Golan Heights?
9. Was Saudi Arabia responsible for the September 11 terror attacks?
10. Will Dilma Rousseff be impeached?
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Today’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 April 11-17, 2016.
Strong aftershocks continued to shake Japan after a powerful earthquake https://t.co/Yd0PFIMyaj pic.twitter.com/BEVL9r5cXD
— Newsweek (@Newsweek) April 15, 2016
Many NATO countries are reluctant to use force to defend allies https://t.co/IlF8r9goGX #DemDebate pic.twitter.com/RqySZ2dIcR
— Pew Research Center (@pewresearch) April 15, 2016
The stakes are high for the Democrats in New York https://t.co/IvR2G3Kjtw pic.twitter.com/KZ8dNt3ubz
— The Economist (@TheEconomist) April 15, 2016