Updates from Worlds Day 1

http://www.botswanaworlds.com/node/76Some updates from the various blogs and twitter feeds:

There will be a livestream of video from the debates. Thanks to the International Debate Education association (IDEA) for Providing this service.  You can find the feeds at
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/wudc
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/wudc1
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/wudc2
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/wudc3

The official result of the adjudication test was a clear first and last and a tight call for second and third.
1st  Closing Opposition
2nd Closing Government or Opening Opposition (the adjudication team said the decision was a tight one and the key was for judges reasoning for the decision)
3rd Closing Government or Opening Opposition (the adjudication team said the decision was a tight one and the key was for judges reasoning for the decision)
4th Opening Government

Speaking of the adjudication team apparently James Dray has had to step down as DCA and been replaced by Vivek Ramsaroop from Botswana.  Why this is is not clear from the various feeds.

The Masters Competition has started and the motion for round 1 was "This House would buy local"

There seems to be some issue with Halal and Kosher food.  It's nearly a tradition at worlds.  It's getting to the point where Worlds Council nearly need to write a definition of Halal and Kosher into the constitution and make it clear that neither are the same as vegetarianism.

If a judge misses a round the organisers reserve the right to remove one of the teams from that judge's college from the tab.  Didn't think this was a big issue in the past (other than Athens when half the judges went on strike for Round 9) but no harm putting the boot in early and scaring people into staying in line :-)

Apparently teams have to take at least three points of information between the two speakers and at least one from each opposing team and from different speakers.  In theory it's great but I can see that causing chaos in some rooms.  When I was a speaker I loved to offer lots of points and I would have ripped the arms off my chair in frustration if I was accepted in the first couple of minutes and then basically had to wait 30 minutes until the next team to get in again.

If I come across any other info I'll post it.  The source for this comes from the various blogs I listed previously and from the Twitter feed.  Thanks to everyone in Botswana who is sending out info.