Elegant Ranting

My Dearest Diary,

I really miss my law school friends at the Tau Mu Fraternity, I don’t see them quite as often as I did a few weeks ago.

I met a horrible and vicious accident. Today, I lectured in my class about Accounting Principles and Journals which I enjoyed. After-which, while casually walking down the huge, spiralling staircase of the Finster Building, I slipped and crashed on my arse. (I still can’t figure out why I didn’t use the elevators) Luckily it wasn’t between classes as people could have been all over the place leaving the cursed event in plain sight for everyone to see. (agh…)

Boone: 1. Only six people saw the terrifying incident, none of which is a prospective boyfriend. 2. My bag didn’t spill its contents all over the scene, which could have been really sad. 3. My poise and grace was not compromised. (back straight, chin up and only a soft gasp and a sophisticated  moan.)

Bane: 1. I bruised my left elbow. 2. I shall have stairs-o-phobia.

I wasn’t able to see Miss Congeniality 2 today; maybe tomorrow. It should be very funny. I saw "The Icon" which perked up my mood. I also discovered a sure way to make my tan much more apparent.

I’m supposed to be in some modelling show tonight at the Liquid Bar with mah’ homies and some fly chickens (street language; New York not kanto) but with the stairs-incident I opted to be here at home eating junk food and watching TV.

Well, that’s today as far as my memory allows. Cheers.

Benny

Dearest Diary,

Once again, I missed writing a journal for yesterday, so, I’m making it this 29th.

Yesterday was totally boring as far as I can recall. That morning I made the journal for the 27th. Did a little sunbathing at the Persian Kebab and lingered for a little longer than the sun did.

I once again saw Mr Perfect in all his usual glory. I ogled a little at the "Walking Penis" as well. (doesn’t sound right, does it?) I have already instructed my informants to acquire his mobile number for novelty purposes. hehe… Had my nails done at the Fanny’s and prepared myself for the unexpectedly doomed dinner with the 8th Wonder of the World. (in photo) It never happened because Hadji, who was supposed to be with us, got horribly ill. (drat!)

Instead, I went out with "The Icon", buxom Claire and "Madam" at this cool place in Roxas. The night started out as a total kalabasa bacause they didn’t have videoke pala. But, later on it went pretty well. After some shots of beer (though I don’t usually drink) things got a little senti and then absurd, then senti again. It’s a vicious cycle. Had lots of quality fun.

I love my friends.

Truly Yours,

Benny

Dear Diary,

I wasn’t able to make an entry yesterday since I was a bit too occupied with life’s inadequacies. So I’m making up for it now.

Yesterday was nothing out of the ordinary. I made the usual mockery of myself before and during class to relieve myself of boredom. Sometimes you just have to let loose without losing it to get through a dreary day.

I was contemplating on colouring my hair a stark shade of platinum blond. After two decades of being a brunette one wonders what it is like to be a Paris Hilton. Certainly, if I would be in an obscene video I shall employ a gorgeous cast of beefcakes. Perhaps I’d go redhead. I dunno.

I’m now trying to perfect my tan. Something difficult as one cannot sport a bikini top in school and there’s barely any time to go to the beach. I hope to get a good sunny glow without getting a burn or funky tan lines.

Met up with my long lost friend, Jaja, yesterday and the infamous Hadji Balahadja. T’was fun. Tonight, I may get another chance to see the Angel-Faced 8th Wonder of the World. From what I’ve heard, he’s one of the most sweetest persons alive. The world needs more of decent men. We already have too much chauvinist pigs to deal with everyday.

Speaking of which, I saw the Men’s Room last night.  I think it’s the most repulsive show around. It’s like watching swines gallivanting on moose’s excrement while vomiting out their intestines. The stench of decomposing bat entrails and rotting mule fart reek from their hideous production routine. The hosts are invalid leeches with molasses as brains; mindless animals. It’s a sad show and a sad attempt at being "edgy." (bad vibes?)

I’m really hoping to go to Singapore this May. (fingers crossed) Well, that’s it for yesterday. I hope today’s gonna be perkier.

Lovingly Yours, Benny

Dear Diary,

I saw the "Cute Outsider" inside the campus today. He was lounging at the 5th floor of the Finster Hall. I wonder why he was there. Is he transferring? Hmmm… I hope so, and he’d better be in one of my classes.

Curses! I’m totally pissed since i cant do the documentary about the "Rugby Boys" as I have already assembled sources and stuff. Instead, we’re doing one about pornographic CD’s. Well, that’s trivial enough to arouse my interest. There are so many perverts out there and I’m gonna get them all busted. I thought it was going to be boring. I really wanted to be shooting videos, hiding in bushes and scampering in the shadows.

You know dear diary, I’m hoping to get into this NGO that my friend told me about. This will be a great chance to get involved in some cool stuff; helping folks, curing AIDS, fighting anarchy, world peace and all that bag of chestnuts. My teacher really got me thinking this morning. She was talking about child prostitution and it really got into me. She’s right; child abusers should be skinned alive and immersed in salicylic acid with chopped chili. It’s just wrong!

On the lighter side, Mr. Perfect looked positively gorgeous today. His full lips, those puppy eyes, that chiseled bod, his shiny two-seater convertible, ahhh… I hope he adds me in friendster. He’d better!

Truly Yours,

Benny

Shabu is preferred substance of abuse

By Benedic F. Apayart, Andrea Cruz, Laurice B.Fuentes, and Meeko A. Nackorda.

Davao City — Michael was an incoming senior high school student when he got involved in drug addiction. He was around 15 when he started selling drugs himself. For a packet of methamphetamine hydrochloride, or shabu, Michael’s young mind has been easily drawn to the stacks of money he gets. But this kind of work is not meant to last, though it lingers awhile and wrecks havoc on society. Addicts, like Michael, eventually succumb to the ill effects of the drugs. Michael’s parents’ dream of their only child finishing school and getting a decent job was forever lost when a drug overdose cost him his sanity. Among the hyperactive substances of abuse, shabu has become the preferred substance in Piapi, along Quezon Boulevard, this small area crisscrossed by unmarked and indeterminate pattern of alleys that make it difficult for law enforcers and easy for persons in conflict with the law. Shabu is very common around this area where Michael lives, and which is one of the widely known hotspot for illegal drug activities An increase in criminal activities in the city has been attributed to illegal drug use. Individuals become more anxious and frivolous when high in the substance, which is known to cause hyperactivity, loss of appetite and an altered state of mind. After the initial ‘rush’ from the substance, which lasts for six to eight hours, the user becomes agitated and sometimes violent. With the altered consciousness the drug causes, users become audacious and lose their inhibitions resulting in disregard for authority. Extended use also causes irreparable damage to the brain. Michael is only one example of the many youths who are addicted to drugs and sometimes directly involved in the drug trade. These young boys who dropped out of school are usually the middlemen in drug transactions between sellers and users. They choose the more lucrative drug trade over education. Imagine this: A gram of shabu would cost between P800 and P1,000 to as much as P2,500.

RISKY ENTERPRISE

A recent public poll cited drug abuse as the primary problem in the city, corroborating the obvious increase in the cases of summary executions of persons believed involved in the illegal drug trade. Citizens of the city felt the problem is worse than poverty and poor education, according to the survey. Supt. Wilkins Villanueva, regional director of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), has adapted programs to combat illegal drugs in the city such as supply reduction and demand reduction programs. The supply reduction program includes targeting sources of the drugs, arresting pushers and producers of the crystal methamphetamine, and demand reduction, the arrests of known users. PDEA, along with other agencies, arrested a total of 535 persons involved in drugs between January and November 2004 and has performed 387 operations against the trade. Demand reduction programs also include lectures and seminars on drugs, campus tours, TV and Radio campaigns such as the Kill Droga seminar series which educate the youth about the harmful effects of drugs and the PDEA van which is one few running educational vans in the country. THE DRUG PROBLEM At present there are nine million habitual and occasional drug users in the country, according to Cebu City Rep. Antonio Cuenco, a figure which dwarfs the original number of 3.4 million users that PDEA estimated then. Earlier, Sen. Robert Barbers of the Senate committee on public order and illegal drugs cautioned that the Philippines could turn into Asia’s drug capital in five years if the illegal drug trade remains unchecked. In Davao City the drug problem faces a tough situation due to extensive measures put into place by the city mayor’s office. Lately Mayor Rodrigo Duterte put up the Mayor’s Hotline to encourage citizens to report any unusual activities which may be associated with the illegal drug trade. The hotline is acknowledge to have increase the success rate of many government operations due to information and leads from informants. However, the drug abuse situation is still worse for the rest of the Southern Mindanao region and the rest of the country. “Drugs are so common in our area. Kids sell it on the streets and in dark night,” according to Anita, a resident of Piapi Road. Many residents feel the youth is the primary victim of drug abuse. “Just about every kid uses the substance, they fall out of school and the addiction becomes worse,” Anita said. “It’s a problem for their family and eventually it becomes a problem for the community because they sometimes cause trouble and influence other kids into using drugs.” Jeffrey Cadungog who knows an arrested 19-year-old drug pusher, says the authorities should focus on the big guys of the drug trade and not on the small time drug operators. “If they just get the small time dealers more and more dealers will just turn up,” Cadungog added, “if they eliminate the drug lords, the chances of substantially decreasing the drug problem are better.” At the moment the PDEA 11 disclosed that it is observing four big-time drug syndicates in the region which finances the drug manufacturers. Supt. Villanueva says the problem is so bad that “it needs financial investigation and a James Bond operation.” Villanueva says two of these drug lords are allegedly from this city while the other two travel in and out of the region. “They just give money. They don’t necessarily sell, buy and use. They just finance,” he adds.

THE VICTIMS

Drug addiction plagues the entire strata of society. Users come from the poverty-line majority as well as the affluent minority. Arnold Garcia, a sociology student who studied drug abuse, says “some people who can hardly eat three times a day still buy the illegal substance, when addiction becomes severe they would sacrifice everything to get their hands on the substance.” “When the addiction has worsened, their sense of priority becomes attenuated and thus they tend to neglect the other aspect of their day to day activities and become immersed in their drug use,” Garcia adds. At some point these drug users run out of means to acquire the substance. When habitual users are not able to get their high their behaviors become erratic and often times violent. “They often resort to theft to get money to buy more shabu,” Garcia says “and so now we have the secondary victims.” Users often use the substance for amusement and the thrill of the high but youths use them for a variety of other reasons as well. Francesco, an Ateneo high school student, says he knows high school freshmen already using the drugs. “They sometimes use it to enhance their performance in sports or it their studies,” Francesco says. He adds that it’s used by varsity players to give them more energy during a game. Francesco adds that even a high end school such as the Ateneo does not really monitor their students close enough to target drug users nor completely discourage students from its use. Also, a considerable bulk of drug users comes from the rich class. Thrill-seekers indulge in methamphetamine to heighten the excitement. Mikey who is an avid drag racer says that drug users are common among his wealthy companions. He says he uses it himself but only on occasion. “It has become something normal for many of my friends,” Mikey said. “It is no big deal.” When asked if he wasn’t afraid of the authorities he says as long as he doesn’t do it in front of a police officer it doesn’t bother it at all. Clearly, drug abuse has become something casual and common. Certainly, drug abuse is not just an indulgence for the young but also for adults. Drugs are also used to enhance their performance in the workplace, be it in a corporate firm or in a fishing port. Drug addiction does not discriminate between economic status nor between different ages.

SETBACKS, SOLUTIONS

Senior Police Officer 4 Silverio Sanchez, chief administrative officer of PDEA 11, admits that budget remains a challenge for them. He says the office has done a great deal in tackling the drug problem of Davao City but more financing is necessary to better fuel their operations. If better funding were available this would allow the office to quell a wider range of drug-related problems. PDEA gets its budget direct from the President’s office from the national budget and agencies such as Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor). PDEA is under smooth operation according to Sanchez. “We just do our jobs the best we can as budget allows us,” he added. At present the office tries to eliminate the drug laboratories which are tucked in inconspicuous places around the city as a part of their supply reduction program. What is left for PDEA to do is to be able to directly minimize if not eliminate all drug sources in the region and contain drug users and pushers especially. “Additional budget will allow this to become more easily achieved,” Sanchez expounded. Cadungog of Piapi Road says “the proliferation of drug use persists through a chain of suppliers and pushers, these are the two key elements that the authorities should eradicate to crush the drug problem in the city.” The demand reduction program also requires some improvement. In relation to the first problem, a bigger budget could also do “miracles” for the PDEA’s anti-drug campaign. This would allow them to reach a broader audience through a variety of media. Garcia, the sociology student, says that the existing strategy of PDEA on information dissemination is a good idea. However, they should develop their strategies to appeal to the youth. Now, Garcia says the presentation of ideas used by PDEA is alienating to the youth and thus the maximum benefit is not achieved. “A fresher approach would attract more interest from the younger audience,” Garcia says “we would want to educate the younger ones because it’s there where the problem starts,” he says. “The lecture method used by the current campaign doesn’t convince a younger audience sufficiently, that’s why even those who have attended seminars sometimes still become users,” Garcia adds. Janis Limjoco, a teacher, says that PDEA should work more closely with schools and workplaces to evoke more participation from such institutions. She says that if PDEA would do this it would make the schools and workplaces feel the exigency to actively fight drugs; to “know the tell tales of drug abuse and how to address it.” “This would make them feel empowered,” she said, “and could possibly nip the bud before any drug related cases become bad and irreversible.”

Dear Diary,

My summer Production classes are doing fine; just took my prelims this morning. Surprisingly, I wasn’t extremely tardy as I usually am.

I spent a bulk of my free time at the Persian Kebab joint in front of the school as usual. There are only three reasons why I’m there: 1. there are chairs you can sit on, 2. you can smoke there to your heart’s content, and 3. the place is peppered with eye candy. Today was a good turn out. 13 of the 15 campus cuties on my list didn’t disappoint me.

Kebab-Pizzito Cutie Directory:

1. Mr. Perfect (beyond words, nice car) 2.Walking Penis (built for one reason, pardon the language) 3.The Korean Dude 4.Angel-Faced 8th Wonder of the World (marvellously angelic beauty) 5.Richard Gutierrez Cookie (teen idol looks) 6.The Cute Outsider (he’s not from Ateneo) 7.Super Pinoy Beauty (chocolate treat) 8.Pouty Songwriter (the lips) 9.The Cute Bisexual-ish Dude (he must be straight) 10.Guy with the Huge Yummy Arse (self-explanatory) 11.The Japanese Hybrid (short but sweet) 12.Mr. Flirty Lashes (basketball king)13.Strawberry Jam (the innocent-looking charmer) 14.Mr. Anonymous (who is he?) 15.Anak ni Colonel (me too)

Guys #5 and #6 didn’t show up today. Hey! Who said only guys can objectify women? I’m happy my friend Rodel was at the Kebab. We were laughing our heads off for hours. Also, Happy Birthday to my friend, Cash! He turned 21 today and I shall soon be 21 myself, agh… At some point I shall be concealing my age.

Yours Truly,

Benny

There are a lot of worlds to enjoy and celebrate in Davao City. Aside from being the country’s melting pot of diverse cultures , the world’s largest city (in area) offers a wide array of modern urban amenities such as shopping malls like the SM City Davao and an active and flourishing night life that readily complement its accesible white-sand beaches and abundant supply of fresh seafood and fruits including the smelly but very yummy Durian.

Climate

Davao City is typhoon-free, unlike Manila or, (well…) Samar. The city enjoys a weather that remains balmy all year round. It is characterized by a uniform distribution of sunny skies, rainfall, temperature, humidity, and air pressure. Great for perfecting your tan!

It has no pronounced wet or dry season. Temperature ranges from 19 to 32 degrees Celsius and average rainfall is up to 2,000 mm yearly. Just like France, hehe…

Dialects/Languages

A local, milder version of Cebuano is the most widely spoken dialect. Tagalog or Filipino comes a close second. English is the medium of instruction in schools and is widely understood and spoken everywhere. Davao used to be a Japanese city so we have some Japanese here.

Religion

The most dominant group here is the Roman Catholic at 83.83%, as a matter of fact. Other Christian groups comprise 15% and the remaining 1.17% belongs to other non-Christian faiths (Islam, Buddhism, Judaism, Kabbalah, Scientology, etc).

Education

We value education so much. A diploma or a college degree is a passport to better opportunities. The government provides free education at the primary (grade school) and secondary (high school) levels, like the Philippine Science High School- Southern Mindanao Campus. Government scholars can enjoy free college education in state-run universities such as the University of the Philippines- Mindanao Campus. The literacy rate of the country is 93.9%. Davao City on the other hand has a higher literacy rate at 98.06%.

The City is considered the Center for Learning and Education in the Mindanao Island. Currently, it has 374 elementary schools, 65 secondary schools, and 35 colleges and universities, including the (ehem…) Ateneo de Davao University.

Kay ganda ng Pilipinas, Kay ganda ng Pilipino! (hehehe…)

Agnosticism is a concept, not a religion. It is a belief related to the existence or non-existence of God.

An agnostic is a person who feels that God’s existence can neither be proved nor disproved, on the basis of current evidence. Agnostics note that some theologians and philosophers have tried to to prove, for millennia, that God exists. Others have attempted to prove that God does not exist. Agnostics feel that neither side has convincingly succeeded at their task.

Are they Theists? No, because Agnostics do not believe in a God, or a Goddess, or in multiple Gods, or multiple Goddesses or in a pantheon of Gods and Goddesses.

However, some Agnostics consider themselves to be Atheist. That is because the term Atheist has two slightly different meanings:

1. A person who positively believes that no God(s) or Goddess(es) exists. E. Haldeman-Julius suggests that "The atheist perceives that history, in every branch of science, in the plainly observable realities of life and in the processes of common sense there is no place for the picture of a God; the idea doesn’t fit in with a calmly reasoned and realistic view of life. The atheist, therefore denies the assumptions of theism because they are mere assumptions and are not proved; whereas the contrary evidences, against the idea of theism, are overwhelming."  This is the definition of Atheism used by most Christians, other Theists, and dictionaries of the English language.
2. A person who has no belief in a God or Goddess. Just as a newborn has no concept of a deity, some adults also have no such belief. The term Atheist is derived from the Greek words a which means without and Theos which means God. A person can be a non-Theist by simply lacking a belief in God without actively denying God’s existence. This is the definition of Atheism used by many Atheists. They use the term strong Atheist to refer to a person who denies the existence of one or more deities.

Some Agnostics feel that their beliefs match the second definition, and thus consider themselves to be both Atheist and an Agnostic. Such confusion is common in the field of religion. We have found 17 definitions for the term witch, eight for cult, and six for the Pagan,– all different. A lack of clear, unambiguous definitions for religious terms is responsible for a great deal of confusion and hatred. It makes dialog between Agnostics and Theists very difficult.

An agnostic usually holds the question of the existence of God open, pending the arrival of more evidence. That’s me. They are willing to change their belief if some solid evidence or logical proof is found in the future. However, some have taken the position that there is no logical way in which the existence or the non-existence of a deity can be proven. Well, we shall find out sooner or later.

The 3 on 3 style of debating, or Australian Style, is the most common and well known format and is used at both the Easters and Australasians tournaments. It is a popular form, which is often used throughout high school competitions and in social debates; so many of you may already be familiar with the style!

Each of the six speakers in the debate has a distinct role to play, and certain obligations to fulfill. Below are some brief outlines, which explain the role of each speaker.

At university level, the speaking time is 6-8 minutes during the Preliminary rounds. In the Finals Series, speeches are 8-10 minutes.

Generally, the debate will end at the conclusion of the third negative’s speech, however, at the Australasians tournament, there are Reply Speeches (please make this a link to the heading further down the page to the section on Reply Speeches), where each team will be given the chance to reply to closing arguments of the opposing team and to summarise their case.

1st Speakers:

The role of a good first speaker is to set up the parameters of the debate clearly, explain the context and issue and ensure that they have demonstrated what their team will be proving and how that will be achieved. This may include constructing a ‘burden of proof’, which is a series of points that must be proved by the team, in order for them to be successful in the debate.

The first speaker of the affirmative team, must also define the topic, as is understood by the team. The definition must be reasonable, appropriate to the debate and clearly justified to the audience and adjudicator.

After the first speaker has defined the topic, outlined the issues, clearly explained what the team will be proving and how, allocated matter to their second speaker, they are free to move on to the case development, where their matter will be explained. It is important that the matter is divided into identifiable arguments so that it can be easily followed and linked into the broader ideas.

It is the role of the first negative to reply to the material raised by the affirmative team. They must also address the definition of the debate, the issues and further contrast the ideas of the negative team with those of the affirmative. After allocating material to their second speaker, the first negative must then go on to outline their arguments, develop them and support them with substantive matter.

N.B. At university level, it is expected that the negative team will accept the definition of the affirmative, unless the definition proposed is TOTALLY UNREASONABLE i.e. according to the AIDA Constitution, the definition is unreasonable if it is:

• Self-proving truistic or tautological
• Has no clear or logical link to the topic
• Is a squirrel
• Has been time or place set

2nd Speakers:

It is the role of the second speaker to further the team’s case, extend and explain the arguments presented. A second speaker should make sure they cover the arguments that have been allocated to them by the first speaker.

A second speaker should begin with the refutation and attack the ideas raised by the opposing team. It is a good idea to do an initial summary and outline how the debate has gone so far, what the major issues are, and how their teams direction and analysis, is a more viable and convincing one.

During refutation it is important to focus on the broader themes and ideas raised and not to waste time refuting weaker points mentioned or details of examples raised. If the major issues are attacked and explained, the debate becomes clearer and more directed.

After a second speaker has effectively refuted, they must move on to the explanation of matter. A second speaker will generally have around two major arguments to explain. It is important that throughout the explanation of these arguments, the fundamental themes and issues are linked back into the main purpose or line of debate. If, for example, a team has established a burden of proof at the outset, a second speaker will want to explain how the arguments they raise correlate with what the team has said they will consistently prove throughout each speaker.

It is also important to remember that arguments and complex ideas require thorough explanation. It is not enough to simply state the fact and cite an example- Ideas need to be fully explained and a relationship between them and the issue of the debate needs to be clearly drawn.

It is sometimes a good idea to give a very brief summary at the conclusion of the speech so that the adjudicator and audience are aware of the major issues of the debate and how the team has dealt with them. It is a good idea to leave the audience with a concise explanation of how the matter raised, is directly engaged with the primary issue of the debate, more so than that of the opposition.

3rd Speakers:

The role of a good third speaker is to recap the major issues of the debate and thematically point out the shortcomings of the opposition, and demonstrate to the audience how their team has fulfilled their obligations (i.e. their burden of proof) and succeeded in the debate.

A third speaker should spend most of their time on refutation and very little on case summary.

A third speaker should clearly identify where the major points of conflict have occurred in a debate, and move through each theme explaining how it was dealt with in the debate, how the opposition have failed to engage or understand it and finally how their team has dealt with the issue more effectively. It is important to focus on the BIGGER issues of the debate. It is also important to move with the debate and acknowledge that arguments, which occurred at the beginning, may have been resolved and may not necessarily be relevant toward the end. Ensure that the themes raised, are the most important ones on which the debate will ultimately rest.

Given that a third affirmative speaker will follow a second negative, it is normal for their rebuttal to be based more around the arguments raised and for a third negative to be focused more on the themes of the debate.

At the end of refutation, a third speaker will be expected to summarise their team’s case. This might seem like a mundane task, but a good third speaker can use the summary to illustrate how their team has engaged more fully with the issues of the debate. They can relate the arguments their team has raised back into the issue and explain how they have successfully executed their role. Some may want to deliver their summary, as a comparison with the opposition’s main arguments to illustrate how they have been more successful.

It may be an idea to give a quick, concise conclusion at the end of the speech. Note that this is not a re-explanation, but simply a clear few lines reminding the adjudicator of what it is you have just proven to the audience. It is sometimes an idea to end with a line summarising the main purpose or direction the team has taken.

Reply Speech:

These speeches form part of the Australasian tournament’s debating format, and during the Preliminary Rounds or Finals Series of debates, they must be half the length of the substantive speeches given (so, that means they are about 3-4mins each).

A 1st or 2nd speaker normally delivers the Reply Speech from each team, and after the 3rd negative speaker has spoken (i.e. the last speaker in a debate), the ‘negative reply speaker’ will speak, followed by the ‘affirmative reply speaker’.

A reply speech requires the speaker to basically ‘walk the panel of adjudicators through the debate’, state what the debate was originally about in terms of issues, how the debate has progressed, showing the flaws of the opposing team - in their inability to deal solidly with issues raised, which both sides attempted to overcome through developing their case, and during refutation. Reply speakers must therefore compare and contrast each team’s approach taken in the debate.

A reply speech should also end with a conclusion, which clearly states what your team set out to prove and how you have done it so the adjudicators can see the logic of your approach, and understand why structurally, you should win the debate.

N.B. A reply speech is simply an ‘overview’ of the debate – IT IS NOT ANOTHER CHANCE TO DO MORE REFUTATION - if that was the case, then debates would be decided on reply speeches, but of course they aren’t. They are apart of the whole debate, which adjudicators make their final judgement call.

BP as it is known, is the best, the most competitive, the liveliest of all debating styles. No longer can a debater hide behind a weak definition, use false facts or information, or simply hide behind their cards. BP will eat you alive.

British Parliamentary style debating is used at all World Debating Championships. Success at BP is a measure of a speaker’s talent, because throughout the debate you will be heckled, interjected and have your arguments scrutinised by some of the worlds best. It is a time when you and your partner (there is only two in a team) will throw yourselves into the melting pot of Uni IV’s.

Debaters imagine that they are debating a motion (topic) in a house of parliament. The Chair is therefore known as Mister or Madame Speaker, while the first and second speakers of each team, are referred to as the Prime Minister and the Deputy Prime Minister (on the affirmative - the Government) or the Leader of the Opposition and the Deputy Leader of the Opposition (on the negative - the Opposition).

At university competitions, including the World IV, speaking times are seven minutes, with a knock at one minute and another at six between which ‘points of information’ may be given and taken.

When it gets to seven minutes – GET OFF. Adjudicators are very agitated by those who go over seven minutes and so are the other speakers.

Preparation time is a speedy 15 minutes. Depending on the tournament this may or may not include finding your rooms.

There are three major differences with this style when compared to the Australian format…

Team and Speaker Roles:

First, there are four teams in each debate, two on each side. The role of the first team on each side is to set up a case in much the same way as in the Australian style. Both speakers should have substantive arguments, and each team should adhere to a structure that you are used to, that is, it should have a formal definition, a team line, and an allocation of arguments between both speakers (a team split).

The role of the second team on each side is to support the case offered by the first team, but to add a new dimension to the case. This is called an extension. Often your extension is just the biggest issue of the debate at the time. For instance, in a debate about euthanasia, if the first team argued primarily about the effects of euthanasia on the family, the second team must agree with these arguments but should also advance an additional argument, for instance, the effects of euthanasia on society.

Fourth speakers should not introduce new matter, much like third speakers in Australian debating. Each side of the debate must display unity and co-operate with the other team on their side of the house. If you are second government you can’t disagree with the case (no matter how bad) of your first government.

Defining:

The second difference concerns the definitional rule. In Australian debating the negative team has an equal right of definition, but must prove that their definition is more reasonable than the other in a dispute. In this style, the Opposition may only challenge the definition of the Government if the definition is absurd, truistic, or has no logical link to the topic. This means that definitional challenges in British Parliamentary debating are thankfully rare. As a result, a definition that could be challenged in the three on three style might not be able to be challenged in British Parliamentary style.

An example of this is the topic “That we should stop the flow of human traffic”. You may think that this is a debate about refugees, immigration, cloning, organ donation. They get up and define it as Californian environmental regulations on cars, because the way they see it, traffic is cars, humans sit in cars and cars are hurting the environment- so they must be stopped. That definition is acceptable.

POI’s:

The final difference concerns points of information. These are questions, which are asked of any speaker by any opposing speaker between the first and second bells. They are offered by standing up, placing one hand on your head (good look) and saying ‘point of information’. It is completely up to the speaker to decide whether or not to accept the point - they can tell you or motion to you to sit down rather that take the point. It is a good idea to accept at least two points but no more than four. Each speaker should be looking to offer about four points of information to each speaker. It is designed to keep your team in the debate so that the adjudicator does not forget about you.

Points of information are not designed to be speeches in themselves, they should be short and pertinent, sometimes witty where it is appropriate. While you have 15 seconds to put forward your point, you should take less time than this. The best points are simple questions that advance your case and are difficult for your opponent’s to answer.

Some speakers will hate be constantly interrupted by four speakers, don’t take it personal when someone stands up and questions your argument.

British Parliamentary is perhaps the most aggressive style of debating, and many debaters don’t like it. But if you want to take on the world British Parliamentary will get you there.

And on that very point.