Special Projects

Debate team gets wins

The George R. Brown Forensics Society, Rice's Speech and Debate Team, has made a strong showing in three competitions so far this season. The team has defeated 55 teams in debate and has accrued 72 awards overall, including debate plus individual events and sweepstakes events. Team captain Aparna Bhaduri, a Jones College junior, has won more than 15 awards this season.After missing the first scheduled tournament in Liberty, Mo. due to Hurricane Ike, the team won the debate event and several individual events at a local competition in Kingwood, Texas.

East Wall: More than just another Chinese restaurant

East Wall is a small but busy restaurant tucked away in the Dunhuang Plaza of Chinatown. It is open from 11 a.m. to midnight every day, serving authentic Chinese food for lunch, dinner and late-night meals.The restaurant's primary focus is on meat and seafood dishes, but it also offers a variety of vegetarian platters, stews and desserts. In the beverage department, the restaurant offers soft drinks and juices as well as coffee, hot tea and milk tea.

High School Musical 3: third verse, same as first, a little bit shinier and sweatier

Most threequels don't make it in the box offices. In fact, they are usually absolute flops. Aside from the tremendously successful Spider-Man 3, other attempts, such as Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over and The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause, turn out dry and boring and rely mostly on regurgitating the humor already used up in the first film. Disney's new High School Musical 3: Senior Year, however, is an exception to this rule. As the first of the High School Musical television films brought to the big screen, Disney produced a film whose quality goes beyond that of the usual threequel.As the title implies, High School Musical 3: Senior Year finds the characters of the original High School Musical cast in the midst of creating a play for their senior theater class while making decisions about where they want to go to college. Troy (Hairspray's Zac Efron) debates between playing basketball or further pursuing theater, and Gabriella (High School Musical 2's Vanessa Hudgens) faces saying goodbye to Troy when she heads off to Stanford. The supporting characters of Sharpay (The Suite Life of Zach and Cody's Ashley Tisdale), Ryan (College Road Trip's Lucas Grabeel), Taylor (High School Musical 2's Monique Coleman) and Chad (Jump In!'s Corbin Bleu) add to the flurry of college decisions and the school play.

Rice talks with Baylor College of Medicine

Wednesday morning, the Houston Chronicle printed an article divulging that Rice and the Baylor College of Medicine have been discussing the possibility of an institutional merger. Wednesday afternoon, President David Leebron sent an e-mail to campus addressing the issue (see story, page 1).We sincerely hope the university pursues the acquisition of BCM for several reasons. First, BCM's reputation would instantly enhance Rice's prestige on both a national and international scale. The university could boast ownership of both a business and medical school, immediately boosting our ability to compete with peer institutions like Washington University in St. Louis in terms of post-graduate programs. Secondly, BCM would find in Rice a more stable financial future, which can only help in increasing its status as a top medical school. Thirdly, any possible merger could be made very smoothly thanks to Rice's long collaborative history with BCM, and the fact that the medical school's administrative and physical structures are already in place. Lastly, but very importantly, the merger would probably have a minimal effect on the day-to-day life of the average undergraduate. There would be no on-campus construction or increase in on-campus foot and vehicle traffic, and undergraduate institutions would be (we hope) largely unaffected.

Letters to the Editor

Critical statistics misreported

Rice to consider merger with Baylor College of Medicine

Rice University is considering a merger with Baylor College of Medicine that would give Rice its own medical school, according to a joint statement from Rice and BCM Tuesday. "Rice University and Baylor College of Medicine have a long history of valuable collaborations and are exploring the possibility of a closer affiliation," the statement said. "Preliminary talks between the two institutions are under way. No further details are available at this time."

Commentary: Down-under ex-editor finds new Aussie sport

Is it any wonder that Australian Rules Football shares nearly all distinct traits with a kangaroo? I'm not talking about gnawing on grass or disemboweling opponents - although I suppose that would up the ante. No, I'm talking about the basics: the kicking, the punching, the bouncing; you know, all the stuff people love about kangaroos.

Recycling competition needs advertising

Environmental Studies 302, a class focused on raising awareness about sustainability issues on the campus, kicked off an all-college recycling contest on Monday (see story, page 1). The idea is a good one - students generally respond positively to inter-college contests, especially when prize money is involved. Also, it is nice to see a campus recycling program initiated by students, rather than by a faculty member or administrator. There is nothing wrong with initiatives coming from the top, but students tend to subscribe more to grassroots movements instigated by their peers.While the contest's concept is commendable, however, its implementation suffered from one of Rice organizations' biggest problems: inadequate advertising and communication. The competition's kickoff was accompanied by little gusto and fanfare, meaning most students were unaware of it. This obscurity is something that should be remedied in the next few days, and hopefully, even though the contest ends a week from today, students can still make up for lost time.

Comic: Cingle Cellularity

Zach and Miri let it all hang out in new comedy

Kevin Smith, director of cult classics like Clerks, Mall Rats and Chasing Amy, is notorious for his love of filthy dialogue, filthy sex and poignant romances . er, filthy poignant romances. His new comedy, Zack and Miri Make a Porno, contains all of the above and then some.As a thriving industry earning billions of dollars each year, pornography has played a large role in determining which forms of video technology will become popular. Mainstream porn picked VHS tapes to replace Beta, DVD to replace VHS and has just chosen Blu-ray to overtake HD.

Golf for Grads

Juniors and seniors looking to improve their professional networking skills can do so through Golf for Grads, a new program for Rice students organized and designed by Houston real estate company Redstone Companies, which teaches students golf skills and fundamentals. The program starts next semester and costs $85 per student and consists of six Sunday sessions in which participants learn golf in partnership with a mentor from the industry they are studying, Laura Klein, associate director of the Center for Student Professional Development, said. No prior golfing experience is required, and students are provided with clubs, balls and other golfing necessities.

Looming election demands educated vote

In a few days, a special event that only appears once every few years will come to pass. No, I'm not talking about Hello Hamlet! or a surprising but expected announcement of yet another building to be erected on our lovely campus. I'm talking about the Nov. 4 election that will change the destiny of the country and shape our future. With only a handful of days until the 2008 presidential election, it is more important than ever to get politically educated and motivated to vote.Now, while I am encouraging everyone to exercise his or her often taken-for-granted-or-ignored right to vote - something people in Zimbabwe and other politically unstable nations across the world wish they could exercise as easily we can - I am not saying that you should show up on Election Day at the polls and select whichever candidate you think has the better window-dressing and overall image. An uneducated vote is as worthless as an unused vote because it is backed by no substance, conviction or understanding of the issues and concerns this country faces.

Eats and treats abound at Ruggles in the Village

Wandering aimlessly down Rice Blvd. will lead you in either of two directions: into Hermann Park, or to a place where great food, wine and class meet: Ruggles Café and Bakery in the Rice Village. Quite a popular establishment, especially with the Rice cross-country and track teams, Ruggles offers some of the best food in Houston and uses the finest and freshest ingredients.The downside of its popularity is that the line is often out the door. Luckily, superb service makes the daunting wait fly by with a quick and accurate cashier staff and a simply amazing cooking staff that turns out orders quickly. On days when the line is doable and the weather is beautiful, customers can take the patio seating and even bring their own wine. The café will provide glasses for free.

Congrats to Wiess, NOD partygoers

Although we are too modest to accept that last week's staff editorial ("Be NODdy, just not stupid," Oct. 24) was the principal or even a major cause for the diminished number of arrests and EMS calls at this year's Night of Decadence, we appreciate that the vast majority of partygoers followed our advice and enjoyed the night responsibly (see story, page 1). NOD's staying power has much to do with how its guests conduct themselves, and it appears that most of them understood and respected this fact.That is not to say that Wiess College itself did not have anything to do with it. We must congratulate Wiess' social committee for providing an organized and safe environment for students. The multi-wristband system made it easier for student security volunteers to monitor the party, which in turn limited the number of intercessions RUPD needed to make. All in all, Wiess carried NOD out very well, and the college should be congratulated on yet another successful year of promiscuous partying.

NOD arrests, EMS calls decrease

Once notorious for its drunken antics and the numbers of students it sent to the hospital, Wiess College's annual Night of Decadence, which took place Saturday evening, had few incidents this year - even fewer than last year's NOD. Only one patient was transported to the hospital, and Rice Emergency Medical Services responded to 15 emergency calls while on stand-by at NOD, head of REMS Michael Pandya said.

Football defeats USM behind six Clement TDs

Although the Golden Eagles gave them a last-quarter scare, the football team held off a surging University of Southern Mississippi squad in the final seconds to secure a 45-40 victory last Saturday afternoon at Rice Stadium. For once the Owls were the ones looking in the rear view mirror as the two sides traded scores throughout the second half. Fortunately, USM was unable to tap the spirit of their 1969 alumnus Jimmy Buffett and Rice improved to 4-3 on the year. The Rice offense did not show any signs of rust from its bye week, as they continued their torrid pace. Senior quarterback Chase Clement tossed six touchdowns, tying the Conference USA record he set last season at the University of Texas-El Paso.

Government intervention to blame for economic woes

Unless you live under a rock, you may have noticed the United States is currently deep in the throes of an economic crisis. What caused this crisis? Well, it depends who you ask. Republican candidate for president John McCain blames corporate greed on Wall Street, while his Democratic rival Barack Obama denounces deregulation of the markets. For a race in which the two candidates are trying to differentiate themselves as much as possible, their solutions to this mess are surprisingly similar - more government intervention. Unfortunately, government intrusion in the economy is exactly what caused the financial crisis in the first place.In the economic heyday of the 1950s, the government created Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to help young war veterans get home loans. These "government-sponsored enterprises" operated in an unusual gray zone between private businesses and government organizations: They were essentially mortgage monopolies established by the federal government. For years, Fannie and Freddie existed outside of government regulations on banks while enjoying privileged status as borrowers from the federal government.

Panel discusses entry to law school

For many Rice students, the decision to go to law school can be a shaky one, made more unsettled by the lack of a pre-law track at the university and only a handful of law-related classes. But those students unsure of their future post-Rice careers can rest assured in the words of the seven speakers at Wednesday's law careers panel, who all described their accidental entries into the law field. Justice Carolyn King, who serves on the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, said she found herself in law school merely because she lacked a plan for anything else.

Volleyball extends win streak to six

The Rice volleyball team headed into the weekend expecting to take two matches from the University of Southern Mississippi and the University of Central Florida, but they did not expect to win both matches in three sets. The relatively painless pair of conference victories extended the Owls' win streak to five matches. Rice continues its home stand on Friday night against the Tulane University, which is second in Conference USA with a 7-1 conference record. The match begins at 7 p.m. and promises to be a big test for the streaking Owls. The squad then faces the University of Texas-El Paso at 1 p.m. Sunday. Rice has already defeated UTEP once this year and looks to finish the season sweep of the Miners, which are currently in eleventh place in C-USA. Despite UTEP's record, head coach Genny Volpe expects a challenging pair of matches.

Under construction: Braun brings no-excuse formula to rebuild men's basketball

Success has been no stranger to head basketball coach Ben Braun in his three decades of coaching college basketball, but his experience with success is not why he was chosen to take over the reigns of a failing Rice Owls basketball squad last spring. Rather, Braun's history of reviving struggling teams throughout the nation brought him to Houston. And for this singular reason, his arrival at Rice University is a welcome sight. Before ever picking up a clipboard, Braun spent time as a young athlete shaping his approach to the game of basketball, learning the importance of hard work and determination at a young age. The eldest of three brothers, he grew up in Chicago, Ill. and attended New Trier High School, where he led teams on both the basketball court and the baseball diamond.