WSDC Greeks kindly let other children play for a change.

You can pull out the champagne now. Greece have conceded the Octo-final to Singapore and will now turn their attention to partying in Cardiff.

We still love the guys and gal and if you think you could have done better, then get practicing and make the team next year.

Greece make the Break @ 9th place!

Get that champagne chilled folks, Greece has made the Break and now everything is up for grabs. I apologise for not having the results for rounds 7 and 8, which I shall soon remedy, but we do have the Break, and my, is it full of surprises:

1. Pakistan
2. Ireland
3. Scotland
4. South Africa
5. Wales
6. New Zealand
7. England
8. Singapore
9. Greece
10. USA
11. Canada
12. Australia
13. Peru
14. Hong Kong
15. Bangladesh
16. South Korea

Teams will now pair off in a power-preserving pattern: 1-16, 2-15 etc. Greece, right below the fold of the Break, will be facing Singapore in the Octo-finals.

Now more than ever I hope you will all join me in wishing our boys and girl the best of luck.

I can taste the bubbles!

Greece at 4-2 Wins, 13-5 Ballots!

Inching ever closer to the WSDC break, Greece are now at 4-2 Wins and
13-5 Ballots, having lost to the powerful kiwis (but not without forcing them to concede a ballot, maybe prompting memories of the 2004 shocker) and beaten
Argentina in what seems to have been a close round.

In detail:

ROUND 5: This House supports the international trading of pollution rights
New Zealand v. Greece (2-1)

ROUND 6: This House would ban abortion except in cases where the mother's health is at risk
Greece v. Argentina (2-1)
[What horrible wording!]

With the present record, our boys and girl look set to make the break, barring two unlikely upsets from Hungary and Sri Lanka. Still, unlikely challengers often suprise the more established teams, and I'm sure no one is taking it easy over in Cardiff. Tomorrow's rounds I should have liked to watch, to be honest. This is precisely the kind of situation that prompts amazing performances.

At any rate, the schedule for tomorrow is as follows:

ROUND 7: This House believes that search engines should boycott China until it allows its citizens unrestricted access to the Web
Greece v. Sri Lanka

ROUND 8: Impromptu motion to be announced
Hungary v. Greece

Greece at 3-1 Wins, 10-2 Ballots

Greece continues its march towards the WSDC cup, with a 3-1 record and 10-2 ballots.
Following the strong showing on day one, our boys and girl suffered a minor hiccup against home country Wales, and continued to bash the United States.

We will be facing antipodean powerhouse New Zealand on the time-honoured issue of pollution quotas and then the Argentinians (and their notorious escort, Maggie Benvenuto of 2000 satyr-pilfering fame) in an impromptu round.

In detail:

ROUND 3: This House believes that captured terrorists should be treated as prisoners of war.
Greece v. Wales (1-2)

ROUND 4: This House would place a worldwide ban on tobacco advertising
USA v. Greece (0-3)

The rest of our team's schedule is as follows

ROUND 5: This House supports the international trading of pollution quotas
New Zealand v. Greece

ROUND 6: Impromptu motion to be announced
Greece v. Argentina

ROUND 7: This House believes that search engines should boycott China until it allows its citizens unrestricted access to the Web
Greece v. Sri Lanka

ROUND 8: Impromptu motion to be announced
Hungary v. Greece

Go Greece, kick Kiwi ass (as for Maggie's ass, stay well away) and win the Cup!

WSDC Greeks at 6-0 Ballots!

Debating is still the only sport where we can score like that, I'm afraid.

I am pleased to announce that the Greek WSDC team, featuring our very own George Constaninidis and Mike Yioutsos, has by now plowed through Germany and Lithuania, winning 3-0 ballots in both rounds. Panagiotis, who was originally selected to the team as well, is probably too busy celebrating his own Oxford business to regret not being there. But yeah, we would have liked to see that.

In detail:

ROUND 1: This House would place a worldwide ban on the use of civil nuclear energy.
Germany v. Greece (0-3)

ROUND 2: This House believes that full-time students should take part in compulsory charity work.
Greece v. Lithuania (3-0)

36 teams, representing such unlikely places as Lesotho and Sri Lanka, are slugging it out at the WSCD, which is set to run in Cardiff, Wales until the 14th of July.

The rest of our kids' schedule is as follows:

ROUND 3: This House believes that captured terrorists should be treated as prisoners of war.
Greece v. Wales

ROUND 4: Impromptu motion to be announced
USA v. Greece

ROUND 5: This House supports the international trading of pollution quotas
New Zealand v. Greece

ROUND 6: Impromptu motion to be announced
Greece v. Argentina

ROUND 7: This House believes that search engines should boycott China until it allows its citizens unrestricted access to the Web
Greece v. Sri Lanka

ROUND 8: Impromptu motion to be announced
Hungary v. Greece

I hope you will join me in wishing the guys and gal the best of luck, and start preparing for when they bring the cup home.

Because I got HAEFed

Because I Got HAEFed
A victory song by MC Pips
(sung to the tune of "Because I Got High" by Afroman)

I was feeling proud before I got HAEFed
I was gonna kick ass and win that round but I got HAEFed
Now I'm blaming my partner, and I know why (why man?)
because I got HAEFed, because I got HAEFed, because I got HAEFed.

I was trying to save some face, until I got HAEFed
I was gonna get up and make a case, but then I got HAEFed
Now I'm reading critique sheets, and I know why (why man?)
because I got HAEFed, because I got HAEFed, because I got HAEFed.

I was planning on standing up, before I got HAEFed
I'd go to the finals and win that cup, but I got HAEFed
Now I'm just watching Youtsos, and I know why (why man?)
because I got HAEFed, because I got HAEFed, because I got HAEFed.

I had a few things to say, before I got HAEFed
I was gonna debate another day, but I got HAEFed
Now I'm joining group discussion, and I know why (why man?)
because I got HAEFed, because I got HAEFed, because I got HAEFed.

I was gonna make love to you, but then I got HAEFed
I was gonna eat your *%^#@ too, but then I got HAEFed,
Now you only give it up for HAEF guys, and I know why (why man?)
because I got HAEFed, because I got HAEFed, because I got HAEFed.

Unis Back in the Tournament Business

It gives me the greatest pleasure to announce that the Debating Societies of the Aristotle Univerisity of Thessaloniki and the Athens University of Economics and Business (shame about the name, I know) are each hosting a debating tournament later this year. The AUEB will be hosting on the 11th and 12th of March while our beloved AUTH will be hosting on the 6th and 7th of May, in Thessaloniki no less.

Amabilis has supported the AUTH tournament since its inception: this is the third such tournament that we are endorsing and we will continue to support the guys and gals in Thessaloniki so long as they stay true to their creed of bottles before cups and fun before politics. We have also been present at the creation of the AUEB society, who are hosting their first tournament this year. I am ridiculously proud of what my colleagues have achieved so far and have no doubt that the tournament will be a success.

To those Club members itching to compete with just about anything that moves (and talks), I cannot guarantee that either tournament will accept schools debaters, but hey, drop them a line; it is worth a try. To those convinced that only schools debating is worth bothering with, guys, don't be idiots.

Still Kicking

After months of neglect, I have decided to resume contributions to the website's resources section. In the interests of enjoying my retirement, I will make no promises of regularity or indeed of any sort. Already you can see the Debaters' Resources section has reverted to its original design and a new article has been added to Coaches' Resources. Happy browsing, everyone.