Showing posts with label misc.. Show all posts
Showing posts with label misc.. Show all posts
Friday, August 23, 2013
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
TFA State
You can also check see how some of our former debaters fared at the High School State tournament this past weekend. These students sacrificed the first part of their spring break to compete in South Grand Prairie. You can find Lanier alums at Lamar, Bellaire, Strake Jesuit, St.Thomas High School, Friendswood and Debakey.
If I've left any school out please let me know.
2013 State Results
If I've left any school out please let me know.
2013 State Results
Spring Break Reading
This month's print issue of National Geographic has two articles related to debate topics: Energy and drone use. There are articles about fracking and the burgeoning drone industry. These are two areas where science and technology bleed into debate, so if you need something to read I highly recommend checking these articles out.
(With homage to Levar Burton from Reading Rainbow) But don't take my word for it!
(With homage to Levar Burton from Reading Rainbow) But don't take my word for it!
Monday, December 24, 2012
TIME's POTY
Time Magazine announced its person of the year as President Barack Obama. I don't have the gut level reaction of misplaced disgust that most Republicans have, nor do I have the smug pride that most Democrats have about this decision. I do think there were worthier candidates. But the "award" goes to the person who has had the most influence on the year, for better or for ill.
That said, here's my nomination: The Lone Gunman.
A Gallup poll shows that 42% of Americans either personally own a gun or have a family member who owns a gun. But it's not the percentage of gun-owners who have had the influence, but the outspoken gun owners and a handful of people who have used weapons in mass shootings. Depending on your definition of "mass shootings" there were 14 shootings this year across the country that involved multiple victims. Here's a good Washington Post article showing the breakdown.
These tragic shootings have raised the gun control debate to a fever pitch, as a recent AP poll shows that the mass shootings that occurred throughout the year edged out election news ( poll ). Calls for gun control reform have almost out-shouted the debate over the fiscal cliff.
There have also been a huge increase in the number of gun sales over the past month. This article explains how gun sales trend upward, driven by fears of personal safety and/or the fear that recent shootings will spur gun restrictions.
Choosing the Lone Gunman (James Holmes, Adam Lanza, et al.) as Person of the Year in no way intends to celebrate these people. In fact, many feel that the media coverage these individuals receive only fuels the problem - makes celebrities of people who should not be celebrated. I suppose it's only natural for people to try to understand these people in order to diagnose their motives, but it's a lost cause. We will never truly understand what drives people to do these monstrous acts.
There was a feeling after the Columbine massacre in 1999 that we'd reached a tipping point involving guns and gun control; that this must never happen again. But then others followed. Virginia Tech. Fort Hood. And for all the rhetoric over gun control and gun rights, there is no simple answer. Restrictions are likely to not be effective and inaction shows weakness and unconcern. Whatever the outcome (if any), it is difficult to reflect on this year without tragedies like Aurora and Newtown coming to the forefront. The questions we pose and the answers we want - "Why does this happen?" "What is it in our society that drives people to do this?" "Could this have been prevented with more guns?" - will not come easily. It reminds me of the quote by French Essayist Joseph Joubert: "Better to debate a question without settling it than to settle a question without debating it."
That said, here's my nomination: The Lone Gunman.
A Gallup poll shows that 42% of Americans either personally own a gun or have a family member who owns a gun. But it's not the percentage of gun-owners who have had the influence, but the outspoken gun owners and a handful of people who have used weapons in mass shootings. Depending on your definition of "mass shootings" there were 14 shootings this year across the country that involved multiple victims. Here's a good Washington Post article showing the breakdown.
These tragic shootings have raised the gun control debate to a fever pitch, as a recent AP poll shows that the mass shootings that occurred throughout the year edged out election news ( poll ). Calls for gun control reform have almost out-shouted the debate over the fiscal cliff.
There have also been a huge increase in the number of gun sales over the past month. This article explains how gun sales trend upward, driven by fears of personal safety and/or the fear that recent shootings will spur gun restrictions.
Choosing the Lone Gunman (James Holmes, Adam Lanza, et al.) as Person of the Year in no way intends to celebrate these people. In fact, many feel that the media coverage these individuals receive only fuels the problem - makes celebrities of people who should not be celebrated. I suppose it's only natural for people to try to understand these people in order to diagnose their motives, but it's a lost cause. We will never truly understand what drives people to do these monstrous acts.
There was a feeling after the Columbine massacre in 1999 that we'd reached a tipping point involving guns and gun control; that this must never happen again. But then others followed. Virginia Tech. Fort Hood. And for all the rhetoric over gun control and gun rights, there is no simple answer. Restrictions are likely to not be effective and inaction shows weakness and unconcern. Whatever the outcome (if any), it is difficult to reflect on this year without tragedies like Aurora and Newtown coming to the forefront. The questions we pose and the answers we want - "Why does this happen?" "What is it in our society that drives people to do this?" "Could this have been prevented with more guns?" - will not come easily. It reminds me of the quote by French Essayist Joseph Joubert: "Better to debate a question without settling it than to settle a question without debating it."
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
The Primaries, The Debates, and Why I'm Sometimes a Lousy Teacher
Quite a few students have asked me if I've been keeping up with the Republican debates and the Primary Season. One of my shortcomings as a debate teacher (I have many, don't worry) is my lack of patience for Presidential debates and Primary elections. I'm not inspired by any of the guys still in the race, but I can sum up the primaries and debates (past and future) for you like this:
Ever since Obama came into office, Republicans and his critics have worked on comparing him to Jimmy Carter and to make that analogy true, Obama has to lose his re-election bid to a Republican who embodies Ronald Reagan, who Republicans revere as demigod. There's only one problem: Gingrich, Santorum, Paul, and Romney are not Ronald Reagan. This isn't like a sports team who instead of netting one big superstar decides to acquire the aggregate of that star in several players. You can only pick one person to run against Obama, and as bruised as Obama is over the economy, there has yet to be a Republican candidate who has unified the base, the moderates and the independent voters in the way that Reagan did in 1980.
Newt Gingrich is perceived as a hypocrite; a man who runs as a conservative yet has a history of cheating on his wife, especially as he was one of the main critics of Bill Clinton when he was President (Gingrich was Speaker of the House during Clinton's presidency). Rick Santorum is popular with Evangelicals, basically picking up the voters that Rick Perry left behind, but doesn't appeal to the average voter because of his staunchly conservative views on issues like gay marriage and contraception and other things most people wish politicians left alone. Mitt Romney stands as the typical Republican businessman. Except that he's also Mormon. The conservatives who like Santorum see Romney as too liberal, but Romney is probably the most moderate and most appealing to moderates because he's proven he can compromise on issues (as governor of Massachusetts he instituted universal health-care.) And then there's Ron Paul, the man who hasn't won a single primary yet is still hanging around because of a loyal group of supporters who like him because he supports fewer restrictions on marijuana use.
So forgive me if I seem cynical, but if Republicans want to keep comparing Obama to Carter in the hopes that he will be a one term president, they need a dynamic candidate to take him down. Plus Obama has more charisma than Carter and the support of Hollywood so unless he commits some horrendous act like shooting an endangered rhino in the face, and Republicans can find a Reagan-esque candidate, all of these primaries and debates will be a nice distraction until President Obama is reelected this November. This will be good news for some and disappointing news for others. But for some out there it was meant to be, as Obama's reelection will be the beginning of the end as the world ends 12/12/12.
Ever since Obama came into office, Republicans and his critics have worked on comparing him to Jimmy Carter and to make that analogy true, Obama has to lose his re-election bid to a Republican who embodies Ronald Reagan, who Republicans revere as demigod. There's only one problem: Gingrich, Santorum, Paul, and Romney are not Ronald Reagan. This isn't like a sports team who instead of netting one big superstar decides to acquire the aggregate of that star in several players. You can only pick one person to run against Obama, and as bruised as Obama is over the economy, there has yet to be a Republican candidate who has unified the base, the moderates and the independent voters in the way that Reagan did in 1980.
Newt Gingrich is perceived as a hypocrite; a man who runs as a conservative yet has a history of cheating on his wife, especially as he was one of the main critics of Bill Clinton when he was President (Gingrich was Speaker of the House during Clinton's presidency). Rick Santorum is popular with Evangelicals, basically picking up the voters that Rick Perry left behind, but doesn't appeal to the average voter because of his staunchly conservative views on issues like gay marriage and contraception and other things most people wish politicians left alone. Mitt Romney stands as the typical Republican businessman. Except that he's also Mormon. The conservatives who like Santorum see Romney as too liberal, but Romney is probably the most moderate and most appealing to moderates because he's proven he can compromise on issues (as governor of Massachusetts he instituted universal health-care.) And then there's Ron Paul, the man who hasn't won a single primary yet is still hanging around because of a loyal group of supporters who like him because he supports fewer restrictions on marijuana use.
So forgive me if I seem cynical, but if Republicans want to keep comparing Obama to Carter in the hopes that he will be a one term president, they need a dynamic candidate to take him down. Plus Obama has more charisma than Carter and the support of Hollywood so unless he commits some horrendous act like shooting an endangered rhino in the face, and Republicans can find a Reagan-esque candidate, all of these primaries and debates will be a nice distraction until President Obama is reelected this November. This will be good news for some and disappointing news for others. But for some out there it was meant to be, as Obama's reelection will be the beginning of the end as the world ends 12/12/12.
Thursday, November 17, 2011
An Open Letter to MLB
Dear MLB and Bud Selig,
You stink for moving the Astros to the American League.
Sincerely,
A native Houstonian and long-time Astros fan
You stink for moving the Astros to the American League.
Sincerely,
A native Houstonian and long-time Astros fan
Friday, September 9, 2011
Sunday, September 4, 2011
Extemp. Quiz Bonus Question
Some day...although the heat doesn't appeal to me
http://abcnews.go.com/US/burning-man/story?id=14429937
http://abcnews.go.com/US/burning-man/story?id=14429937
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