Individual Speakers Competition

[Mr Comedy]

When is the final of the Individual Speakers Competition (also known as the Lindsay Mucka IV) going to be? And is it going to be in LPH?

[Bryn]

I wish I knew, I wanted to put it in the link-up.

[hr]

http://bryn.ipfox.com

[Mr Comedy]

Sunday 1st May
The Balaka Final
7.30 for 8pm

As posted on the new website (which is looking better)?

[RJ Covino]

Quoting Mr Comedy from 15:39, 29th Apr 2005
Sunday 1st May
The Balaka Final
7.30 for 8pm

It's the "Did Linds get LPH?" question that's not answered by that...

[hr]

http://www.ralphcovino.com

[Ewan MacDonald]

why have you called it the Individual speakers competition? I always thought it was the Balaka?

[hr]

Nulla fere causa est, in qua non femina litem moverit
Juvenal 242

[Stuart]

Quoting Ewan MacDonald from 16:05, 29th Apr 2005
why have you called it the Individual speakers competition? I always thought it was the Balaka?

[hr]

Nulla fere causa est, in qua non femina litem moverit
Juvenal 242

I think the loss of the Balaka's sponsorship necessitated a name-change.

[Bryn]

Quoting Ewan MacDonald from 16:05, 29th Apr 2005
why have you called it the Individual speakers competition? I always thought it was the Balaka?

Mr Rouf decided last minute that he wasn't going to be there or pay this year.

[hr]

http://bryn.ipfox.com

[Unknown]

Quoting Stuart from 16:12, 29th Apr 2005

Quoting Ewan MacDonald from 16:05, 29th Apr 2005
why have you called it the Individual speakers competition? I always thought it was the Balaka?

[hr]

Nulla fere causa est, in qua non femina litem moverit
Juvenal 242

I think the loss of the Balaka's sponsorship necessitated a name-change.

Wow, 2 sponsors in one year!

[OhhMy]

Wow, 2 sponsors in one year![/quote]

To Clarify
We have not lost the Balaka and its sponsorship forever, just this year. The Balaka had some difficulty about dates. He wants to be there to ensure that everything is perfect. He was unable to do that this year and so wont be sponsoring us. I'm sure you will be able to find all the information and facts in the Board of Ten Minutes which if they are not already available will be on the website soon.

[Tweedle-Dum]

Quoting OhhMy from 11:05, 30th Apr 2005
Wow, 2 sponsors in one year!

To Clarify
We have not lost the Balaka and its sponsorship forever, just this year. The Balaka had some difficulty about dates. He wants to be there to ensure that everything is perfect. He was unable to do that this year and so wont be sponsoring us. I'm sure you will be able to find all the information and facts in the Board of Ten Minutes which if they are not already available will be on the website soon.[/quote]

Are we supposed to believe you, when we have no idea who you are?

[hr]

Live by the sword, die by the arrow.

[OhhMy]

Yes because I was there, as I believe you were.

[Guest]

Quoting Unknown from 20:47, 29th Apr 2005
Wow, 2 sponsors in one year!

Thanks Laura!

[Laura]

Quoting from 00:36, 30th Apr 2005

Quoting Unknown from 20:47, 29th Apr 2005
Wow, 2 sponsors in one year!

Thanks Laura!

Sorry.... wait.... what has it got to do with me? (Nothing)

The unregistered users afraid to put their names to opinions strike again....

[Tweedle-Dum]

Quoting Laura from 14:40, 30th Apr 2005

Quoting from 00:36, 30th Apr 2005

Quoting Unknown from 20:47, 29th Apr 2005
Wow, 2 sponsors in one year!

Thanks Laura!

Sorry.... wait.... what has it got to do with me? (Nothing)

The unregistered users afraid to put their names to opinions strike again....

Right, you know me, and I'm disappointed. It is your fault; you're in charge. Mr Rouf might be difficult to deal with, mais on the whole he's a nice chap. Ask Jamie, he went to school with his children.

[hr]

Live by the sword, die by the arrow.

[Laura]

Quoting Tweedle-Dum from 16:34, 30th Apr 2005

Quoting Laura from 14:40, 30th Apr 2005

Quoting from 00:36, 30th Apr 2005
[quote]Quoting Unknown from 20:47, 29th Apr 2005
Wow, 2 sponsors in one year!

Thanks Laura!

Sorry.... wait.... what has it got to do with me? (Nothing)

The unregistered users afraid to put their names to opinions strike again....

Right, you know me, and I'm disappointed. It is your fault; you're in charge. Mr Rouf might be difficult to deal with, mais on the whole he's a nice chap. Ask Jamie, he went to school with his children.[/quote]




Right Richard- ok.

1) The Balaka had nothing to do with me this year. That's not some get out clause, it simply didn't.It lies under the duristiction of the former IV secretary (as it did last year) I'm not chairing it, I have not been involved in any of the process, none of the decisions have been mine to make. Lindsay wished to organise it, none of the current board have been involved, and it will be Peter who Convenes it.

2) None of this is anyone's fault but Mr Rouf's. You were in the board meeting on Wednesday, you know what's going on, you know that Lindsay was messed about despite having given Mr Rouf all the required info and having organised the whole thing very well, and is now having to sort the thing out without The Balaka's involvement.

3) At some point you are going to have to wise up to the fact that manipulating situations in public forums to have a go at me because you don't like me very much is a) never going to get you very far and is b) not in any way helpful to the society.

[OhhMy]

Now I am quite anoyed. This is in no way Laura's fault and is completly out of her controle. It would have happend who ever was president. You have used every and any oportunity to attempt to undermine her. I am sorry if Laura is not part of your own personal old boys network but im afraid she is imensley good at her own job and will get better and better. On Wednesday evening you made snide remark after snide remark about her. If you truly cared about this socity (which I some what doubt) you will support her in any way that you can. The debating society is not an old boys drinking club. It is a serious society which provides an excellent service to the student comunity (training etc) and to the local comunity (schools). GROW UP!

[someone]

People,

1) Nobody reads the Sinner. I'm only here because I was told to take a look and decided that I had nothing better to do. Go read a book, or take a walk, or do something.

2) Stop picking on Laura already. I mean really, if you've got something to say, say it to her face, or go to a Board meeting, or write a proposal with some solutions to the problem. Use the opportunity to show off your mettle, intellect and civility.

3) Don't fake the funk with the nasty dunk.

[hr]

Swing down, sweet chariot
Stop, and let me ride

[RJ Covino]

Quoting someone from 16:55, 30th Apr 2005
I mean really, if you've got something to say, say it to her face, or go to a Board meeting, or write a proposal with some solutions to the problem.

Preston, never thought I'd say this, but I agree with you wholeheartedly. We should cut off all avenues of dissent and, indeed, discussion and debate. Conduct ALL meetings in secret and tell NO ONE what's going on. Perhaps even have some secret police to enforce the UDS party line...

Picture it, folks: John Stewart in jack boots - ain't pretty is it?

Just because she's a girl doesn't mean she shouldn't take flack for things when they go wrong - and they will go wrong (I'm thinking October Ball here, and I know I'm not alone). They always have and they always will. No Convenor is perfect unto himself (not even, perhaps, sainted Kitson of memory long-faded). This one happened not to have anything to do with Laura.

The Sinner Boards, though, are one avenue by which people can talk about what's going on - an avenue that has become increasingly important to those who really care about the Society and, in some cases, to those who cannot be there to speak directly to the Convenor or attend BoT meetings. They provide a direct link with some of the Society's oldest friends and a place where said old friends can poke their noses in and see what's going on. Surely this is not a resource to be chucked away due to the odd anonymous comment upsetting somebody.

That said and bearing in mind Preston's recommendation that we occassionally use the Boards to discuss weighty matters and make recommendations, I think the UDS needs to be very careful concerning society sponsors such as Mr Rouf. It's an area in which we have, over the last few years, demonstrated ourselves to be remarkable inefficient - showing our sponsors the appropriate gratitude and that they are getting value for their money.

Take Mr Rouf, for example. He's been a very good friend for so many, many years - loves debating, loves the Balaka tournament - even when he hates the debate itself, as was the case a few years ago! I think that at regular intervals the Convenor and/or BoT members should drop by the Balaka to give him a hello, how are you, this is what we're up to lately, we'd be very happy if you could get more involved sort of chat. Make him feel a part of things. In the old days, debaters were never out of the Balaka (which is why so many of them are fat bastards today and why he continues to sponsor us to this day, if you think about it), so this wasn't so much an issue. But today we eat in the Jahangir cuz it's cheaper... As such, a courtesy call once a month would not be terribly taxing.

Of course, Mr Rouf isn't the only sponsor we've got and, indeed, these days probably isn't even close to being our major one. The Society must, indeed, at all times look to keep ALL of our sponsors happy lest what happened with PWC happen again.

[hr]

http://www.ralphcovino.com

[David Bean]

I think there's a clear distinction between open discussion and random sniping from people who know that what they're saying is factually unjustified and or/are seeking only to cause hurt and distress. Whilst the latter cannot be prevented if the former is to be permitted, I see no reason not to expect better behaviour of our fellow Society members and, if and when they consistently fail to live up to the standards their common decency should impose upon themselves, to take measures to prevent them from doing so.

Moreover, it's important to remember that whilst the Balaka does usually sponsor one competition per year to a very high standard, the level of creative control Mr Rouf demands over the competition - in the most ridiculously pedantic areas - is something that nobody can fully understand unless they've actually been involved in running it at some stage. This year, he isn't even doing that, because he personally messed up the date when it was supposed to be held, after having been reminded of it constantly - and after a whole year of what effectively becomes free advertising on our posters.

I like Mr Rouf personally; he's given me a lot. But I don't think this should cloud my view that the Balaka's sponsorship of the Society is seriously flawed, moreso now than ever, and I would not be at all surprised if the Board of Ten found itself reappraising its options vis a vis the deal.

[Tweedle-Dum]

I have a solution:

Hold the competition anyway, and in place of Mr Rouf, we have his incredibly able, and rather cool waiter Laurence.

[hr]

Live by the sword, die by the arrow.