Vermont debate made a huge breakthrough for debating in the Middle East and did adequately at Harvard.

At Harvard there were two teams, Marnie Ritchie and Alex “Snackie” Edelman along with Alex Martel and Nate Robertson, and David Register was their accompanying coach. The Harvard tournament is traditionally the most difficult tournament of the year, with all the best teams in the nation there and nary a weak team in swight. The young UVM teams knew they faced a considerable challenge. After day 1 the teams had bookend results, with Marnie & Alex being 3-1 and Alex & Nate being 1-3. Day two was difficult for both teams. Being 3-1 meant that Marnie and Alex hit the best teams in the nation one after the other. Marnie & Snackie ended up 4-4 and were in a break round in round 8, which is a great place to start off from for next year. Alex & Nate ended up 1-7 but fought for every round.

Meanwhile, Vermont debate was an integral part of organizing a huge event in Qatar that was a massive success. The main sponsor was the Qatar Foundation and QatarDebate, but Vermont debate, through UVM’s World Debate Institute, was a major force along with ZIP Slovenia to design the curriculum and carry out the program. The program had five tracks: Qatar students who came for debate training on weekends and after school; Qatar teachers who came during those same time periods for training; Qatar judges who are being trained to judge at the World Schools Debating Championship to be held in Qatar in February 2010; debaters from ten countries (eight of them without any substantial debate experience as a nation); and, teachers from sixteen countries who came to learn to be debate trainers when they return home. The program was judged a complete success, and it was gratifying to see the team from Chile defeat reigning world champions New Zealand 9-0 in the gala final round of the tournament, since Vermont debate has been working with Chile for over nine years to develop their debate program and now it has obviously come to fruition. It was a great experience and it will have a huge impact on the Arabic world.

See news stories at:

http://globaldebateblog.blogspot.com/2009/11/qatar-debaste-acaademy-opens.html

http://globaldebateblog.blogspot.com/2009/11/day-two-at-qatar-debate-academy.html

http://globaldebateblog.blogspot.com/2009/11/qatardebate-has-2nd-anniversary.html

http://globaldebateblog.blogspot.com/2009/11/chile-defeats-new-zealand-for-mini-wsdc.html

See photo gallery at http://debate.uvm.edu/debateblog/travelpix/Qatar_Debate_Academy_09.html

ALL HANDS ON DECK FOR WESTERN CONNECTICUT

A huge group goes to Western Connecticut State University in Danbury this coming weekend. Why so many? Well, because it is a full service tournament, offering both formats we participate in, because we like and support the WCSU posse, because it is relatively close and because the time is right.

POLICY TEAMS

Alex Martel & Nate Robertson

Zach Realberg & Garhett Solomon

Marnie Ritchie & Alex Edelman

Danny Metcalf & Jacqui Robbins

Tom Monaghan & Nick D'Antonio

Luke Jonas & Hillary Barbour

Sarah Anders & Sam Natale

Chuck Harris & Austin Benn

Nicolette Osborn & Eric Vicedomini

Dan Malamud & Alex LaVallee

POLICY JUDGES

Riodolfo Josid

Berg Carina

Owusu Edwin

Gagnon Julian

Register David

WORLDS TEAMS

Isaac Loeb-Paul Gross

Tom Dionesotes-Alli Hamlin

Michael Glynne-Emily Barkdoll

Rachel Fabian-Melissa Goraj

Jessica Bullock-John Sadek

Lydia Gubatosi-Dylan Davis

Ana Dru Ellis-Harrison Bigler

WORLDS JUDGES

Snider Alfred

Boyle Stephen

Ricker Sam

Klein Jacob

Thibault Alex

Sander Drew

Van schedules available on the listserv. Bring sleeping bags and towels just to be safe. This one is a big one.

FLASHPOINT TELEVISION MARCHES TOWARDS 400!

Panelists pose after taping on 25 October

Dylan Davis, Lydia Gubatosi, Rachel Fabian and John Sadek

Now with over 390 shows, FLASHPOINT is the issues and ideas television program of the Lawrence Debate Union. It airs three times a week on Burlington Cable’s channel 15 and other cable systems in Vermont. Many previous programs can be viewed at http://flashpointtv.blogspot.com/

Last taping:

Sunday 25 October, Topics: 389 New Era for Japan, 390 Armenia & Turkey

Now available on the web:

389 http://flashpointtv.blogspot.com/2009/10/flashpoint-389-new-era-for-japan.html

390 http://flashpointtv.blogspot.com/2009/10/flashpoint-390-armenia-and-turkey.html

Next taping:

There might be a show taped in Slovenia in November.

CLASSIC FLASHPOINT EPISODES NOW BEING RESTORED

Many classic Flashpoint episodes are being restored and mounted to our website at

http://flashpointtv.blogspot.com/

Certain people look younger, the technical values are not so spiffy, but the discourse is every bit as vibrant and energetic as you have come to expect.

This week we are featuring episode 7 from 1992

http://flashpointtv.blogspot.com/2009/11/flashpoint-7-mass-media.html

as well as episode 152 from 1998

http://flashpointtv.blogspot.com/2009/11/flashpoint-152-dangerous-words.html

COMING SOON - FLASHPOINT PLANS FOR SHOW #400

Episode 400 is coming up, and for that we plan on:

CONTEST: Having a “Flashpoint Theme Contest” where LDU members will record a new theme and then have it judged for adoption. Garage Band, etc. are welcome.

400TH SHOW: We want to recruit people to come on, call in, record a greeting, share their memories. If any of you have such memories, please get in touch with us so that we can include you. 400 programs is an immense achievement and we want as many people as possible who made it all happen to be a part of 400.

FROM THE MEETING ON MONDAY

Future tournaments:

Cambridge: Can go to London if you want, bear own transport costs. You need to go to the public debate in Cambridge that evening, it's your responsibility to get there.

Wake: people competing got an email, won't be back until Tuesday - classes won't be cancelled, talk to your professor beforehand.

Emily & Ana's sorority thing:

There's a public volleyball tournament. Money going to ALS  & Outright Vermont - they would like there to be a LDU team.

Veteran's day

Memorial 9 - 10.30: show up if you can. Veterans will be coming, everyone going to VFW ceremony. Both open to public. Can get letter to get out of class from SGA

Thursday night debates: Bring more people. Talk it up. Send emails to people on the lists. Tom will run things this Thursday.

Office: throw things away, turn lights out, appreciate the coffee maker, paper only in the waste basket in the copy room. Be nice to David’s office.

Flag Football: Coming soon.

Debate Challenge: David Register and Stephen Boyle will be challenging the worlds teams to defeat them. Coming soon.

MEETINGS THIS WEEK

Policy Debate

Research dealing with ''weird'' affs

Thursday 7.30 novice session: Get your tub, approaching tournaments etc

Worlds Debate

Tuesday: at 5.30 with Tuna

Wednesday: at 7.15 with Stephen

Thursday: Regular 6pm debate for novices

TOURNAMENTS FOR 2009-2010 (tentative)

Date    Tournament    Format    # teams    Travel

26-27 Sept UVM Policy wudc All none

3-5 Oct Las Vegas Policy 1 air

3-4 Oct Claremont Wudc 1 air

16-18 Oct Hart House Wudc 3 van

23-24 Oct Yale Wudc 4 van

31-2 Nov Harvard Policy 2 van

14-15 Nov West Conn Policy wudc All van

21-29 Nov IDAS  Wudc 3 air

21-23 Nov Wake Policy 2 air

5-6 Dec Cape Cod Wudc lots van

27 Dec-5 Jan Worlds Turkey Wudc 3 air

Early Jan UNT-UTD Policy 2-3 air

30-31 Jan NYC RR Policy 1 van

30-31 Jan Ithaca Policy Wudc lots van tentative

13-14 Feb Umass Policy wudc All van

27-28 Feb Regionals Policy wudc All van

6-8 Mar Nov Nats Policy 3-4 van

March CEDA Policy 2 air

March NDT Policy 1 air

9-11 Apr USU Regis  Wudc Lots air