Debate Results - Georgia State

Cross examination or policy debate is conducted by two person teams debating a single topic all year against other two person teams. In each round one team is Negative (Neg) and one team is Affirmative (Aff). Usually 16 or 32 teams break from the preliminary rounds (8 rounds in college, 5-6 in high school) and debate in finals or elimination rounds. It is like the NCAA basketball tournament brackets. Style points are awarded to each speaker in every preliminary round with 30 being the maximum and 25 being on the low side. Awards for speaker positions are given along with the awards for finishing place. Multiple teams from a school are distinguished by initials composed of the first letter of their last names. For example, debaters Mr. Smith and Ms. Jones from Michigan State University would be listed as "MSU SJ".



Semi final rounds:
Northwestern defeats Michigan State EL
Emory defeats Kansas

Finals:
Emory defeats Northwestern


The "L" in the MSU EL team was 10th speaker.
MSU EL takes 3rd place.

A very good start to the year. I will post how the other MSU teams did when I find out.

Congratulations "L", aka the Boy.

Some Ike Pictures

Remnants of destroyed boat house and boat floating in our cove.

Tree down on Research Forest Drive.

Flooding near TWHS.

Some Interesting Pictures of Ike Damage

http://www.tpicks.com/pictures_people_have_sent_me.htm

Let There Be Light...at 11:15 pm

Phone starting working at about 8 pm, light came on at 11:15 pm. Yea!!!

Entergy Power Restoration Update

Ike restoration update for Texas: These are current restoration estimates for customers who can take power. These will be updated as more is known.

Area
Date for 100 Percent Restoration

Orange, Vidor
9/21/2008
Navasota
9/22/2008
Port Arthur, Port Neches, Nederland, Groves
9/23/2008
Winnie, Anahuac
9/25/2008
Dayton, Ames, Daisetta, Batson, Saratoga
9/25/2008

The Woodlands
9/25/2008

Woodville
9/29/2008
Silsbee, Lumberton, Kountze
9/29/2008
Conroe
9/29/2008
Huntsville, Madisonville
9/29/2008
New Caney
10/5/2008
Cleveland
10/5/2008

Beaumont, Bevil Oaks, Sour Lake
10/6/2008

Country Club Estates near Port Arthur
Flooded – no date determined
Bolivar Peninsula
Flooded – no date determined
Sabine Pass
Flooded – no date determined

3 Days and Counting Without Power

No damage to the house or to the lake house. Others on Lake Livingston not so lucky with trees on houses and destroyed boats/boathouses. Lots of trees down all across The Woodlands. Rumors that it may be 3-4 weeks before Entergy restores power.

Back at work today with power, water, and Internet. The Valero station at Clay and Gessner has power, gas, and short lines (10 minute wait).

We passed a literal mile long line for gas in Conroe yesterday.

Crystal Beach, where I went as a teenager to enjoy the beach, is basically wiped out (aerial before and after above).

My Dad had the one remaining tree in his yard hit the master bedroom of his new house, which was completed in November last year. He spent over two years in a trailer after Rita destroyed his old house. My sisters rent house she is in while building a new house had roof damage and big leaks.

Friends and family that are having trouble communicating can leave comments here to get news to each other.

God bless everyone and good luck recovering.

Bad, But Could Have Been Worse

Not much excitement in The Woodlands until about 3:30 am. It was windy when I went to bed at 10:30 pm, but not any rain. The eye made landfall on Galveston at 2:10 am and the storm was so big that by 3:30 am we had high winds and heavy rain. No thunder or lightning, but I would say we were having sustained winds at 50-60 MPH with gusts to over 75 MPH. I half slept/watched KHOU Channel 11 until 6:00 am when the power went out. We must have been on the western edge of the eye wall because it calmed down some for a while in the morning, but kicked back up with heavy winds and rain. This afternoon we drove around and there are many trees downs. There was flooding in place that I have never seen water before, even during Alison. Between the flooding and downed trees, it is hard to get around now. I will post some pictures and link some video soon (as long as the Honda generator holds out).

No damage to the house, just a mess in the pool.

One memorable birthday.

Not Looking Good.....

It may turn back south, but this is a very, very bad track for all of the Houston area.


This is not the birthday present I wanted.



http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/storm_graphics/AT09/refresh/AL0908W5+gif/144313W_sm.gif

The Great Train Robbery

From Mike Morgan on the Fannie/Freddie "bailout". Bailout?? how about biggest crime/theft since 1913.



Monday, September 8, 2008

Paulson Meets BombleGok
"The Fannie-Freddie bailout is one of the great political scandals of our age, all the more because it was so obviously coming for so long." - The Wall Street Journal Editorial Page

http://realestateandhousing2.blogspot.com/