The New York Sophist

This is a shot of the Yellow building common area where everyone preps outdoors. Today is the last day of prelims. All rounds are closed adjudication today. Tonight is the break party, but I’m having some network issues with my Blackberry for some reason. I hope to clear them up by then but you never know. If you are reading this, I must have fixed it!(EDIT: No such luck: Using the sporadic Wi-Fi.)

A video called “south park facebook episode” was shown from You Tube. Round 7: This House would require individuals to reveal their actual identity when communicating on the internet.

This is a shot of the Yellow building common area where everyone preps outdoors. Today is the last day of prelims. All rounds are closed adjudication today. Tonight is the break party, but I’m having some network issues with my Blackberry for some reason. I hope to clear them up by then but you never know. If you are reading this, I must have fixed it!(EDIT: No such luck: Using the sporadic Wi-Fi.)

A video called “south park facebook episode” was shown from You Tube. Round 7: This House would require individuals to reveal their actual identity when communicating on the internet.

There was no food for vegetarians or vegans (I think) so the tournament was delayed for about an hour. I think this was the right call to make. Several people pushed for running the debate anyway since the food wouldn’t arrive for 40 minutes, but that would have given a distinct advantage to those who ate. I think it was a tough call for the adjudication team to make but I support it. My network is still down on 3G, so I am just relaying on some of the campus wi-fi which is somewhat sketchy. Apologies, but I’ll try to update when I can. The opening of Lion King is being played on the screens!

Round 8: This House believes that the Southern African Develpoment Community (SADC) should pursue political union.

There was no food for vegetarians or vegans (I think) so the tournament was delayed for about an hour. I think this was the right call to make. Several people pushed for running the debate anyway since the food wouldn’t arrive for 40 minutes, but that would have given a distinct advantage to those who ate. I think it was a tough call for the adjudication team to make but I support it. My network is still down on 3G, so I am just relaying on some of the campus wi-fi which is somewhat sketchy. Apologies, but I’ll try to update when I can. The opening of Lion King is being played on the screens!

Round 8: This House believes that the Southern African Develpoment Community (SADC) should pursue political union.

Culture night is in full swing and I am getting ready to go to sleep. It looks great over there, lots of fun, good dancing and music, and plenty of beer. But I spent most of tonight at what I believe to be the first American caucus meeting at WUDC in quite some time, if ever. I hope some WUDC historians are out there reading this and can set the record straight. We are very uncertain if Americans have ever met to discuss WUDC business at Worlds before Council before tonight. Representatives of APDA, NPDA, and the American BP circuit (not sure what to call it). We had representatives of both Zagreb and Berlin come and answer questions about each bid. They were amazingly thorough, patient, and handled questions really well. 

I think it was great to have such a meeting and I hope it continues. Next year perhaps it can become a more formal part of the regular activities for Americans at Worlds. I know this is regular practice of many different countries – I wonder why we haven’t done it in a while. I think a large part of it is how new to WUDC most American participants are.

Today was a better day for me as I’m feeling more myself. Getting my voice back, which I didn’t hesitate to use in giving maybe too long of a critique at the end of round 6. All that fun part is over now, and tomorrow the rounds will be closed. I hope to take better notes this year and keep them all in one place so I can actually give some good critique at the New Years party or on New Year’s day when the debaters come asking for it.

Goodnight for now. In closing, please enjoy this clip showing the entry into the assembly hall where the draw is.