Tuesday saw our final debate for 2008 bringing an end to our debates for the Autumn Term. Whether it's Nintendos, who should be the next US President, gay adoption or football we've covered more of a range than usual this term and a good thing that is too.
This Tuesday sees the party's Christmas get together which promises to be a lively affair complete with music (provided by Laurie Dudley), a quiz and of course sausage rolls. All members and friends of the society are welcome, the party is always a nice way to celebrate a year of debating.
Other notices worth mentioning are; a group of members will represent the society at Heaton Manor's school carol service on Thursday at Holy Trinity Church Jesmond; the Board are looking to put together a team to enter ICYD 2009, more details to come in the New Year; and finally the President's message will be published later this week and promises to be a reasoned and thoughtful reflection on the past year.
So don't forget to be good boys and girls for Santa Clause or you'll get coal this Christmas!
Sunday, 14 December 2008
Friday, 28 November 2008
Football
Who would have thought it, the Heaton Manor Union Society holding a debate on football, especially following he infamy of the 'Football Thread'. But next Tuesday's debate will indeed be on the issue of whether the Premiership season should be extended include a 39th game to be played overseas.
The motion will be 'This house believes the Premier League should add a 39th game to be played abroad' the debate will take place on Tuesday 2nd December at 2.45pm in L7. Speaking in proposition will be the Chair of last year's grand final, Jake Robinson who will be partnering David Larke, ICYD finalist 2008. On the opposition bench will be the Society President and former team mate of David Larke, James Bartle and Chris Redfearn who is already making an impression on the society since his arrival at the start of the year.
The motion will be 'This house believes the Premier League should add a 39th game to be played abroad' the debate will take place on Tuesday 2nd December at 2.45pm in L7. Speaking in proposition will be the Chair of last year's grand final, Jake Robinson who will be partnering David Larke, ICYD finalist 2008. On the opposition bench will be the Society President and former team mate of David Larke, James Bartle and Chris Redfearn who is already making an impression on the society since his arrival at the start of the year.
Saturday, 22 November 2008
Debates unveiled
Hello, there. Perhaps you're still revelling, like many members of the Heaton Manor Union Society, in the delight that the United States of America elected its first African-American President this month. Well, as James has outlined, we celebrated in style with a Sixth Form Vs. Lower School extravaganza. And, two weeks, later, we have now organised our debates for the forthcoming season. Although these debates are subject to change, they're included here as a guide.
Tuesday, 25 November 2008
This House believes that CCTV is restricting our freedom.
SPEAKER: David Lowes
PROPOSITION: Willem Evans & David Larke
OPPOSITION: Sahan Bentotage & Keir Mochrie
JUDGES: Miss M. Murphy, Laurie J. Dudley & Ben Wallace
Tuesday, 02 December 2008
This House believes that the Premiership League should add a 39th game, to be played abroad.
SPEAKER: Keir Mochrie
PROPOSITION: David Larke & Jake Robinson
OPPOSITION: James Bartle MYP & Chris Redfearn
JUDGES: Mrs M. Robinson, Laurie J. Dudley & Saskia Neibig
Tuesday, 09 December 2008
This House believes that religion is preventing world peace.
SPEAKER: David Larke
PROPOSITION: Ewan Gibson & David Lowes
OPPOSITION: TJ Bentotage & Andrew Burdis
JUDGES: Laurie J. Dudley, Miss M. Murphy & Willem Evans
Tuesday, 13 January 2009
This House believes that the media is unfairly demonising children.
SPEAKER: Andrew Burdis
PROPOSITION: Sophie Barker & Saskia Neibig
OPPOSITION: Chris Redfearn & Jake Robinson
JUDGES: Mrs M. Robinson, Laurie J. Dudley & Ewan Gibson
Please follow our 'Forthcoming debates' page at heatonmanorunion.org.uk for up-to-the-minute information. This will be an exciting few weeks at the Society.
Wednesday, 5 November 2008
US Election - reflections
Congratulations to Mr Obama. If I am pleased about nothing else today, I am pleased that America has stood up to the racists within its borders and has shown it can elect a black man as President. It is a shame however the America people fell for his empty rhetoric and threw away the chance of electing one of the most experienced Presidential candidates the country has ever had the choice of electing (my own opinion of course).
But as the campaign is written in to the history books and Mr Obama prepares for inauguration day, it is nice to look back on what a gripping campaign this has been. Once again Britons have proven they seem to care more about an election state-side than we do about our own elections here, showing there is so much we can learn from the American electoral system.
For the society, the campaign has prompted 1077 views (at the last count) of our discussion on the issue and nearly 300 posts. In looking back on the past six months of campaign here are some of the highlights of our discussion:
"Although I quite agree with you that (apart from Afghanistan) Bush's response to the Twin Towers disaster was very good."
Laurie Dudley
"A far better way to diminish the capabilities of the Taliban would have been to use a controlled, small, nuclear explosion in the mountainous/hilly areas where the Taliban was known to be based."
James R Bartle
"I don't think TRUE Republicans can be very 'nice' in any sense really..."
David Lowes
"OBAMA FTW OKAY?"
David Shepherd
"I know that they [conservatives] are complete racist and sexist pigs, so they won't vote for Obama and Clinton, they might just not vote at all!"
David Lowes
"It's not age that's the issue; it's experience. Obama was only sworn in as a Senator in 2005."
Laurie Dudley
"As I said ages ago, Hillary Clinton lights up the stage. Barack Obama just drones on about change in America. Snore."
Laurie Dudley
"A flu virus is more intelligent than an American."
David Lowes
"The notion that Hillary wants someone to assassinate Barack is the biggest joke I've ever heard."
Laurie Dudley
"She can't and won't win now, so the longer the [expletive deleted] fight amongst each other Republicans can win votes!"
James Bartle
"I would like to congratulate the Democratic Party on handing the Republican Party victory in this year's General Election. On behalf of the Heaton Manor Republican Supporters Association can I thank the Democratic Party and its supporters most sincerely. You have no assured us that we won't have a President come inauguration day who wants to end free-trade, negotiate with Iran and leave Iraq in the lurch."
Anon
"It's (and I quote) "too socialist" for the Americans, and, according to some, it's not in their constituents best interests, so, what they're saying is that mass unemployment is in the best interests of the people."
David Lowes
But as the campaign is written in to the history books and Mr Obama prepares for inauguration day, it is nice to look back on what a gripping campaign this has been. Once again Britons have proven they seem to care more about an election state-side than we do about our own elections here, showing there is so much we can learn from the American electoral system.
For the society, the campaign has prompted 1077 views (at the last count) of our discussion on the issue and nearly 300 posts. In looking back on the past six months of campaign here are some of the highlights of our discussion:
"Although I quite agree with you that (apart from Afghanistan) Bush's response to the Twin Towers disaster was very good."
Laurie Dudley
"A far better way to diminish the capabilities of the Taliban would have been to use a controlled, small, nuclear explosion in the mountainous/hilly areas where the Taliban was known to be based."
James R Bartle
"I don't think TRUE Republicans can be very 'nice' in any sense really..."
David Lowes
"OBAMA FTW OKAY?"
David Shepherd
"I know that they [conservatives] are complete racist and sexist pigs, so they won't vote for Obama and Clinton, they might just not vote at all!"
David Lowes
"It's not age that's the issue; it's experience. Obama was only sworn in as a Senator in 2005."
Laurie Dudley
"As I said ages ago, Hillary Clinton lights up the stage. Barack Obama just drones on about change in America. Snore."
Laurie Dudley
"A flu virus is more intelligent than an American."
David Lowes
"The notion that Hillary wants someone to assassinate Barack is the biggest joke I've ever heard."
Laurie Dudley
"She can't and won't win now, so the longer the [expletive deleted] fight amongst each other Republicans can win votes!"
James Bartle
"I would like to congratulate the Democratic Party on handing the Republican Party victory in this year's General Election. On behalf of the Heaton Manor Republican Supporters Association can I thank the Democratic Party and its supporters most sincerely. You have no assured us that we won't have a President come inauguration day who wants to end free-trade, negotiate with Iran and leave Iraq in the lurch."
Anon
"It's (and I quote) "too socialist" for the Americans, and, according to some, it's not in their constituents best interests, so, what they're saying is that mass unemployment is in the best interests of the people."
David Lowes
Tuesday, 4 November 2008
US Election
Did Heaton Manor vote the same way as the American people in our US election special debate this afternoon? Well we'll have to wait until tomorrow to know, but it was (as somewhat expected) victory for Team Obama in today's debate.
By Team McCain's own admission we simply didn't do the old man justice and looks like his own campaign team state-side will be guilty of the same. As a declared McCain supporter my tissues are at the ready and I'm looking forward to a miserable day tomorrow as the scale of the defeat becomes clear. Our Chair, Director of Communications and indeed most of the Society can celebrate victory for their candidate tomorrow.
By Team McCain's own admission we simply didn't do the old man justice and looks like his own campaign team state-side will be guilty of the same. As a declared McCain supporter my tissues are at the ready and I'm looking forward to a miserable day tomorrow as the scale of the defeat becomes clear. Our Chair, Director of Communications and indeed most of the Society can celebrate victory for their candidate tomorrow.
Friday, 10 October 2008
Independence for Scotland? - Tuesday 14th October
Will it be Rule Britannia or Scotland the Brave? At long last the issue of Scottish independence comes to the table as we tackle this emotive political issue. The speeches of Alex Salmon will no doubt have been exhausted for possible arguments, the finances of the union calculated to the exact penny. Then there are the questions on all of our minds; what about the Queen and the national anthem too?
Four of our debaters will be tackling this issue on Tuesday 14th October when the society debates the motion 'This House believes Scotland should become an independent state.'
Speaking in proposition will be newcomer Chris Redfearn and David Shepherd. Chris wowed us all with his first debate a few weeks ago when he stepped in at the last minute and pulled the floor and judges points in his first debate. David is the Society Vice-Chair and has been with us for quite a while; he's appeared in competition teams twice and is most well known in the society for his....thought provoking and stimulating contributions to the forum.
In opposition will be the Society Vice-President Adam Thompson who will be making his debut debate of the year. Sam Hunt, fresh from his antics at the RGS a few weeks ago will be Adam's partner. Adam and Sam are some what joined at the hip (metaphorically speaking) and have been debating partners on many occasions in the past.
We are all looking forward to Tuesday's debate and welcome all, members and non, to come along and watch what should be an interesting debate.
Sunday, 5 October 2008
Organ donation - 7th October 2008
The chuckles of last week over, our Wii Fits away and having been spared from the red ring of death our debating calender returns to a more...serious nature this week as we take on the issue of presumed organ donation. Grand Final chair, Jake Robinson takes the Speaker's chair for this weeks debate as we debate the motion This house believes in presumed organ donation the interesting topic of whether or not we should have to 'opt out' as opposed to 'opt in' to organ donation.
Speaking in favour will be Andrew Burdis and Ewan Gibson whilst in opposition Thejana Bentotage will be hoping he has more success than his brother did last week as he accompanies newcomer the infamous David Lowes. David will have to hope that all of the newcomers luck wasn't used on Chris Redfearn last week whilst this President has no doubt that prayers that I will be absent from Tuesday's debate will have been said this morning by Mr Lowes.
The society looks forward to an interesting debate on Tuesday and as usual we welcome any guests who wish to pop by and see what we get up to.
Speaking in favour will be Andrew Burdis and Ewan Gibson whilst in opposition Thejana Bentotage will be hoping he has more success than his brother did last week as he accompanies newcomer the infamous David Lowes. David will have to hope that all of the newcomers luck wasn't used on Chris Redfearn last week whilst this President has no doubt that prayers that I will be absent from Tuesday's debate will have been said this morning by Mr Lowes.
The society looks forward to an interesting debate on Tuesday and as usual we welcome any guests who wish to pop by and see what we get up to.
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