Ben & Shae Cecka's family in Gilbert, AZ

CLARK SPEECH AND DEBATE TEAM CAPTURES THIRD PLACE AT LOWER COLUMBIA COLLEGE

Six members of the Clark College Speech and Debate Team traveled to Longview, Washington, this past weekend to participate in the “34th Annual Smelt Classic” held on the campus of Lower Columbia College. Competition included participants from 18 schools across the country,
including Texas, Mississippi, Montana, California, Oregon, Idaho, and Washington. Students competed in both individual events and parliamentary debate in three divisions: Novice, Junior, and Senior.
Highlights of Clark’s accomplishments included First Place wins in both Novice Editorial Commentary and Novice Persuasive Speaking, a Third Place finish in Novice Informative Speaking, and 6th Place
finishes in Novice and Senior Extemporaneous Speaking and Senior Impromptu Speaking. On the debate side, the team of Ben Cecka and Nik Vaughn advanced to the semifinal round of Junior Parliamentary debate, taking third place after a 2-1 decision for their opponents. Ben, however, was named Top Junior Debate Speaker while Jacob Greer and Nik Vaughn earned second and fifth place, respectively, in the same division. Overall, Clark’s awards were enough to place us neck-in-neck for second place among community colleges, but ultimately the team earned third place by just a few points! Way to go, Clarkers! Please congratulate our students and coaches on a job well done and wish us luck on our next competition to be held at Linfield College in McMinnville, Oregon, this coming weekend (November 10-12).

Respectfully,
Dave Kosloski

INDIVIDUAL EVENTS RESULTS

Mark Williams: First Place, Novice Editorial Commentary
First Place, Novice Persuasive Speaking
Sixth Place, Novice Extemporaneous Speaking
Dianna Barker: Third Place, Novice Informative Speaking
Ben Cecka: Sixth Place, Senior Extemporaneous Speaking
Jacob Greer: Sixth Place, Senior Impromptu Speaking

PARLIAMENTARY DEBATE RESULTS
Ben Cecka/Nik Vaughn–Semifinalists, Junior Parliamentary Debate
Ben Cecka: First Place, Top Junior Debater
Jacob Greer: Second Place, Top Junior Debater
Nik Vaughn: Fifth Place, Top Junior Debater

COMMUNITY COLLEGE SWEEPSTAKES
Mt. Hood Community College–First Place
College of Southern Idaho–Second Place
Clark College–Third Place

Overall, we had a great time. For those that don’t know, I rejoined the team instead of coaching due to a few unforeseen drops. Too many chiefs and not enough Indians.

CLARK COLLEGE SPEECH AND DEBATE TEAM CAPTURES THIRD PLACE AT FIRST TOURNAMENT OF THE SEASON!
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Six members of the Clark College Speech and Debate Team traveled to the campus of Lewis & Clark College in Lake Oswego, Oregon, this past weekend to compete at the “Pioneer Invitational” which was held Friday, October 13 through Sunday, October 16. Thirty-one schools participated in the tournament, including teams from Utah, California, Montana, Colorado, Oregon, and Washington. Competition was held in both individual events and parliamentary debate in three separate divisions: Novice, Junior, and Senior. Highlights of Clark’s accomplishments include a Second Place trophy in Junior Extemporaneous Speaking, a Third Place trophy in Junior Impromptu Speaking, a Fifth Place trophy in Novice Informative Speaking, and a Sixth Place trophy in Senior Communication Analysis. Additionally, the debate team of Ben Cecka and Nik Vaughn advanced to the Octafinal round of Junior Parliamentary Debate from among a field of 32 teams. Though they lost their round on a 3-0 decision, Ben Cecka was named Ninth place in the top debate speaker awards from among a field of 64 speakers. Way to go, Ben! Clark’s awards were enough to earn us Third Place among all Community Colleges in attendance–just behind Mt. Hood Community College and The College of Southern Idaho but ahead of such schools as Lower Columbia College, Clackamas Community College, Lane Community College, among others. Please congratulate all of our team members (and coaches!) on a job well done and wish us luck on our upcoming competition to be held at Lower Columbia College in Longview, Washington, November 3-4.

Today, Charles “Buck” Bybee passed on.
In the spirit of old western movies, music from The Godfather, Harley Davidson and praises to the lord… Daffy things like elaborate tales of an aggressive easter bunny, attacking dentures and other silliness…
Here is a little ditty from one of my earliest memories of Papa Bybee:

Ladies and Gentlemen! Hobos and Tramps… cross-eyed mosquitoes and bold legged ants: I’m going to tell you a story that I know nothing about. Last night a car load of bricks came to my front back door and killed a cow that was already dead. I rushed him to the hospital as slowly as possible and when I got there, I saw George Washington… eating vinegar… with a fork… at the corner of a round table.
Did I mention this was going to be silly?
Even when you know it is coming, it is hard to lose someone so dear, but I am glad he is at peace now.
I will enjoy my memories of Papa.

Much love to Granny, Mom, Aunt Kathi and the rest of the family, church family, and friends.

http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/08/17/domesticspying.lawsuit/index.html

A federal judge on Thursday ruled that the U.S. government’s domestic eavesdropping program is unconstitutional and ordered it ended immediately.

In a 44-page memorandum and order, U.S. District Judge Anna Diggs Taylor struck down the NSA program, which she said violates the rights to free speech and privacy. (Read the complete ruling — PDF)

The defendants “are permanently enjoined from directly or indirectly utilizing the Terrorist Surveillance Program in any way, including, but not limited to, conducting warrantless wiretaps of telephone and Internet communications, in contravention of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act and Title III,” she wrote.

She declared that the program “violates the separation of powers doctrine, the Administrative Procedures Act, the First and Fourth amendments to the United States Constitution, the FISA and Title III.”

Her ruling went on to say that “the president of the United States … has undisputedly violated the Fourth in failing to procure judicial orders.”

All I can say is it’s about time! I’ll still be biting my nails through the appeals process though. I’ve had to argue for this crap in debate rounds and I still see very little value of having a warrantless wiretapping program. It just doesn’t make sense given retro-active warrants. Under FISA law the government has up to 72 hours to get a warrant after they’ve tapped your lines! Now why would anyone say lets just skip the whole warrant process in the first place?

This program being defeated doesn’t hurt national security. If anything it bolsters our democratic system in ways that will only benefit security in the long-run. Think about it. I have.