Tapper elected president Honor Council, RPC, RTV5 amendments pass, U. Blue tax increase fails

by Stephanie Jennings THRESHKK STAFF

Hanszen College junior Althea Tupper defeated her two opponents in the election for Student Associa-tion president. Lovett College junior Evan Ross came in second place, and Martel College sophomore Andrew Chifari was third.

After write-in candidates and Chifari were eliminated via the pref-erential voting system, Tupper had a 59 percent of the votes.

Before the preferential voting elimination rounds, Tupper had 419 first-place votes (43 percent), Ross was second with 271 (31 per-cent), Chifari was third with 125 (14 percent) and absentee write-in candidate Misha Teplitskiy, a Jones College junior, had 103 votes (12 percent). Theelections, which began March 3 and closed Wednesday, had participation lower than last year's. This year, 961 online ballots were cast, while 1,162 students voted last year and 944 voted in 2004.

Martel freshman Ceci Mesta defeated two opponents for SA external vice president, and Brown College freshman Akshay Dayal won a three-candidate race to become SA treasurer. Ix>vett College freshman Sarah Baker, who is also a Thresher

assistant news editor, topped one opponent to become SA secretary, and Brown sophomore I aura Kel-ley won an uncontested race for SA internal vice president. It has not yet been determined when the new president and executive committee will take office.

Four Honor Council amendments passed, the most significant of which eliminates a loophole the council saw in its system. Previously, a student accused of an Honor Code violation could withdraw from Rice within three days of being informed of the Council's decision to hold a hearing, retain credit for the course in ques-tion and avoid any penalty as long as he or she remained away from Rice for at least two semesters. Now, an accused student who leaves Rice without an Honor Council hearing will have the course erased from his or her transcript.

Rice Broadcas t Televis ion 's amendment to change its name to Rice Television 5 also passed, as did Rice Program Council's constitution change merged the internal and external vice president positions. University Blue's amendment to increase each student's blanket-tax fee by 40 cents was the only amend-ment to fail.

Tupper said she wants to arrange

discussions about President David Leebron's Vision for the Second Century and to increase awareness of t h e S A

"I think [the SA] is moving in the right direction,"Tupper said. "There were more contested positions — this shows that there's interest in the SA But we still need to figure out what students want and what exactly the SA can do for them."

Tupper also said she hopes to organize more campus-wide activi-ties.

"The SA should work with the venues we have to make Rice as a whole a home to the students in addition to the colleges," she said.

Current SA President James Lloyd, who did not endorse any candidate during the campaign, said he thinks Tupper will be a good president because of her spirit and leadership.

"She brings a great deal of experi-ence and energy, which is vital to be successful in this position," Lloyd, a Brown senior, said.

Ross also said he thinks Tupper will be an effective president.

"Throughout the campaign, she showed her high level of energy and how seriously she'll take the position," Ross said.

See ELECTIONS, page 4

DIANA YEN/THRESHER

Fresh men Will Rice College sophomore Jon Huang (left) and Lovett College freshman Raymond Yu perform at an Owl Weekend concert March 3. Fresh is Rice's newest a cappella group. It performs mostly R&B and pop music.

Spring fun SARAH SIMPSON/THRESHER

A child is fascinated by a bubble at Rice Student Volunteer Program's Spring Ring, held March 4 in the Will Rice College quad. The annual event is a fair for underprivileged children in Houston.

RPC: Rondelet to be April 22 by Risa Gordon

THRESHER EDITORIAL STAFF

After many years as a formal event, last year 's Rondelet was semi-formal, and Rice Program Council is cons ider ing keeping the event more casual this year.

Rondelet will be held April 22, Formals Commit tee co-Chair Meg Sheeley said. Sheeley said RPC is strongly consider ing hold-ing the evenl at Dave and Buster 's and will make a final decision by March 24. Dave and Buster ' s is a res taurant with a bar and arcade games .

RPC h a s not had con t rac t d i s c u s s i o n s wi th D a v e a n d Busters , but Sheeley said she has conf i rmed that the venue is available April 22. Sheeley, a Jones College sophomore and RPC president-elect, said t ickets

will probably cost $15-20. If the event is at Dave and Busters , the t icket price would include g a m e tokens , en t r ance to the dance room with a disk jockey and shut t les to and from the event. T h e event would be semi-formal, which Sheeley said would appeal to a wider range of s tudents than a formal event.

After losing about $4,000 on Esperanza in the fall, the formals commit tee can afford a net loss of about $2,000 on Rondelet this spring.

Sheeley said RPC is also con-sidering ethnic res tauran ts near the Rice Village.

" (The res taurant would have] not just American food but fun Japanese food or Spanish food, so we could br ing in music or o ther social or cultural aspects to the event," Sheeley said.

Rondelet is usually held within a week of Beer-Bike, which will take place April 1 this year. Sheeley said she and the other formals chairs de-cided to hold Rondelet in late April to avoid conflicting with other large campus events — like Soul Night and Jamfest — as well as Spring Break and Spring Recess.

Sheeley said she thinks having the event in late April would make it m o r e popular.

"Peop le [would be ] rea l ly excited about having one last event with their senior f r iends," Sheeley said.

RPC also c o n s i d e r e d hold-ing Rondele t at t h e H o u s t o n Aquarium, at the Houston Zoo, at nightclubs and on campus .

Sheeley said it is difficult to schedule an event at the aquarium because it is a popular venue, but

See RONDELET. page 6

Committee formed to study effectiveness of 0-Week

by Alex Stoll THRESHER STAFF

Future O-Weeks may be modified to become more intellectual and lessexhausting. Those are among the goals of administrators who have formed a committee to study fresh-man year.

The Dean's Committee on the First-Year Experience, created by Dean of Undergradu-ates Robin Forman and chaired by Political Science Professor Richard Stoll, will make recommendations on the entire first-year experience. Hie committee will eventually address academic advising and other issues relating to the curriculum, but it is currently focusing on Orientation Week.

Forman said he started the committee because he wanted O-Week to better connect to the first year as a whole.

"The entire first year is a period of transi-tion, not just the first week," Forman said.

"(The committee] started with the idea that we shouldn't view O-Week and what comes after as entirely separate events."

Assistant to the Dean of Undergraduates Matthew Taylor (Ph.D. '92), an ex-officio member, said the committee will reevaluate events held during O-Week and recommend whether some of the programs would be better if held after the start of classes.

"O-Week gets so packed with so many different things and programs that often, it's just like a fire hose in the face for first-year students," Taylor said.

Forman said he would like to see a more intellectually engaging O^Wbek. f

"We emphasize this idea that we are a community , and I think we do that brilliantly," Forman said. "We might be able to place more emphasis on the notion that we're not just any community — we're a com-munity of scholars. And that's separate from

See COMMITTEE, page 6

INSIDE

Spring Elections petitions Petitions for Spring Elections are due

March 20 at 5 p.m. outside the Student Association office. Available positions are RSVP treasurer, U. Court representatives and Honor Council representatives.

Spring Break Friday marks the beginning of Spring

Break. Whe the r you ' re he lp ing out hurricane victims in New Orleans, tan-ning on the beaches of South Padre or jet-setting across the Atlantic, we hope you have a memorable time. The next Thresher will come out March 24.

Too cheap for Cancun? Take a road trip to Corpus Christi this

weekend to watch the baseball team play in the Whataburger College Classic. The Owls face off against TCU, Arizona State and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.

OPINION Page 3 Are you a waver, stopper or ground-gazer?

LIFESTYLES Page 12 Arena rock for the dorm room

SPORTS Page 15 Women's basketball awaits WNITbid

Quote of the Week

"[The high rates are a] function of kids caring about academics and working hard to do a great job. They always do around here — they take it very seriously, and we're proud of the work they do." — Athletic Director Bobby May on Rice's academic progress rates. (See story, page 6.)

Baseball UT 9, Rice 5

Friday Partly cloudy. 65 85 degrees Saturday Isolated thunderstorms, 65-84 degrees

'

*•- u p r " § THE RICETHFESHER OPINION FRIDAY, MARCH 10,2006

the Rice Thresher

Our O-Week suggestions The Committee on the First-Year Experience has an important

job to do: evaluate how to give incoming students the best pos-sible introduction to Rice. (See story, page 1.) We think such an evaluation is healthy and that the committee's focus on Orienta-tion Week is appropriate. O-Week has changed for the better, but more needs to be done. Programming

O-Week is too busy. For most of us, it is an incomprehensible blur of panels, meetings, insomnia and pseudo-compulsory social events. Also, O-Week has too many late-night events. Some pre-meds aside, people find it hard to sleep less than six hours per night and still be chipper. By the end of the week, many of us were exhausted.

We think the following groups are unique to Rice and therefore necessary to explain during O-Week: the Honor Council, the Rice University Police Department and Rice Emergency Medical Sendees. And the following are valuable enough in other ways that they should stay on the schedule: the scavenger hunt, Houston night out and Out-reach Day. Meanwhile, the following are on our chopping block:

• Diversity training, wellness orientation and University Court orientation — all of these are important, but we do not think they are most effectively communicated through formal O-Week presentations. Orientation materials on these subjects should be mailed to students' homes during the summer; incoming students are eager enough to do such reading. Sensitivity to diversity issues is especially important, but we think some well-written summer reading and a consciously inclusive O-Week climate — driven by invested advisers —would instill this sensitivity better than a panel amid a sea of panels.

• Sister groups and the all-campus party — they were forced and awkward. But inter-college interaction is a good idea and should be expanded. We like the faux-Beer-Bike com-petitions colleges already hold.

• Athletics panel—freshmen won't support Rice athletics simply because of a lecture, so skip it and just keep taking them to an event, so they can see varsity sports firsthand. And we imagine Head Football Coach Todd Graham would love to have fresh-men visit a football practice.

• The carnival — it is a nightmare for many student organiza-tions, since during O-Week they are either understaffed or busy. Eliminate, and see "Intellectual climate" for a replacement.

In lieu of these events, we propose adding a small number of subdued social functions to counterbalance the craziness of O-Week. Movie nights or inter-college "study breaks" (the food without the studying) are among our ideas. Also, social events in general should be optional, both de jure and de facto. TTiat is fairer to non-night-Owls and the sleep-deprived. Intel lectual c l imate

Dean of Undergraduates Robin Forman said he wants to see a more intellectual approach to O-Week; we agree. Most Rice students are intellectual people — which is not the same as stuffy — and showing that side of student life early on is important.

Many other universities require all incoming freshmen to read a book over the summer. We don't like requiring anything, but an optional book assignment with an accompanying (and optional) book discussion during O-Week would be fun — and fun in a dif-ferent way than most of the rest of O-Week.

In addition, the academic fair should be expanded. More profes-sors should come, and departments should have generously staffed tables at specific colleges — go to Brown for natural sciences departments. Martel for humanities and so on. Keeping faculty together woula infuse the fair with more intellectual energy than the current diffuse system, in which each college has only a few professors sitting around looking bored. And O-Week advisers should make more of an effort to join the professors in their majors at the fair, so excitement about learning comes from the students and not just the grown-ups.

Finally, the carnival should be replaced with a different kind of fair: one for academically focused student groups, such as the Baker Institute Student Forum and the Society of Women Engi-neers. This would further reinforce student-to-student enthusiasm about Rice's intellectual life. A c a d e m i c advis ing

Divisional advising is a joke and will remain so until more divisional advisers are assigned to each college. A handful of faculty members simply cannot serve a college's entire freshman class well.

As for student-to-student advising, it would have less of a word-of-mouth character if students could access the written comments from course evaluations online.

Most students liked their freshman-year O-Week. Others were less enthusiastic. We think it could be a valuable week for virtually everyone if the right changes are made.

Unsigned editorials represent the majority opinion of the Thresher editorial staff.

I Want my job? 'm graduating in May, so the

I Thresher needs a new cartoonist. The pay isn't great, but you get

'published and they feed you, iso you should apply ...

MORE UElOCIRflPTOBS? ... if you think you can handle Evan.

thresher-ops@rice.edu

ml *

PS: College tbealei rocks yout face off. Via: www.hailpQ«try.cof>i and support Ruddigore at Hanszen1

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Article's committee comments confused To the editor:

On behalf of Dean of Under-graduates Robin Forman and the Housing Steering Committee, I want to thank the Thresher for its coverage of the university's study of the colleges and on-campus hous-ing ("Outside firm begins planning for new college, renovations," Mar. 3). The results of the study are likely to affect the lives of Rice students for decades to come, so the story was particularly helpful in alerting students to upcoming opportunities to contribute their ideas to the plan-ning process.

The article provided a timely account of the work of the steer-ing committee and the consultants retained by the university to lead the housing study. However, the article contained one error that merits comment.

According to the article, I told the reporter that "advisory commit-tee members identified providing space in the colleges for academic programs and guest speakers as a priority." In fact, what I recall saying was that the steering com-mittee had identified civic or public spaces in the colleges as a priority, and that I and others on the com-mittee believed intellectual life in the colleges would benefit if the colleges had higher-quality spaces for hosting guest speakers and other intellectual programs.

This is an important distinction. The advisory committee — which includes a master, resident adviser, college coordinator and three stu-dents— and the steering commit-

CONTACTING THE THRESHER

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tee are not the same. The advisory committee was formed to provide a source of experienced and in-dependent advice to the steering committee and consultants.

Dur ing t he one m e e t i n g the former has had — which I attended — the issues of academic spaces and guest speakers in the colleges were not engaged, with the exception of a question about the ef-fectiveness of college classrooms.

As the principal source for the story and the organizer of the advisory committee, it is my responsibility to ensure that the views of the advisory committee are accurately recorded. I thank the Ihresher for allowing me to fulfill that responsibility.

Matthew Taylor Ph.D. '92

Asst. to the dean of undergraduates

Editor's note: See erratum, page 5.

Biblical, medical jlaws fill letter To the editor:

In response to Jesse Chan's letter to the editor ("Masturba-tion harms individual, marriage," Mar. 3): As a Christian, I don't think there's anything wrong with healthy masturbation and wish Christian groups on campus would think so, too. That being said, I also don't think anyone should be en-couraged to masturbate any more or less than they want to.

Chan implied that habits and addictions are the same thing and that they are both bad. I think that habitual masturbation is as benign as habitual Bible-read-ing, whereas genuinely serious addictions can be psychologi-cally unhealthy regardless of the substance involved.

Chan makes a vague appeal to "sex therapists" who have found that masturbation inhibits indi-viduals' enjoyment of marital sex. Frankly, I know no one who prefers to masturbate instead of having sex with a lover. Furthermore, mastur-bation is an effective sexual therapy treatment for couples to overcome sexual dysfunction, because it allows individuals to learn what pleases them so that a partner can do the same.

As Evan Mintz initially argued, masturbation does serve as a fan-tastic solution to sexual tension by healthily releasing physical pres-sure via cardiovascular exercise that increases endorphin levels ("Masturbation: habit of the healthy student," Feb. 24).

I agree that marital problems related to masturbation should be avoided, and I agree with Chan that it isn't fair to a spouse to let one's hand replace him or her in bed. But masturbation doesn't replace a spouse or partner in bed and can often serve as a wonderful reprieve when one partner is not interested in sex at the time.

I am also unhappy with Chan's paraphrasing of Biblical teach-ings on sexuality—which are a lot more open to interpretation than many conservative Christ ians will admit. Jesus condemns lust, not fantasizing or sexual arousal. Just because someone looks at the lingerie ads to get off doesn't

mean they're going to rape those models; they're just aroused by those images. And furthermore, it is also possible to masturbate while lovingly thinking about a spouse, partner or no one at all.

In the end, Christians and non-Christians alike should look to the Song of Songs from the Bible, where King Solomon's wife asks women to promise her "not to awaken love until the time is right." We should recognize the wisdom of that commandment and realize that time is not directly described as marriage.

Emery Gullickson Lovett sophomore

Pitfalls perforate Thresher APplan To the editor:

I am concerned with your editorial calling for an end to credit awarded for Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate courses ("Our wish list for the undergrad curriculum," Feb. 3). The editorial contains suggestions that are harmful to students and academic departments and are directly contradictory to President David Leebron's Vision for the Second Century.

I would love to see data backing up your statement that students who arrive at Rice with AP or IB credit take fewer hourseach semes-ter in order to earn a higher CPA. In general, hard-working AP or IB high school students don't magi-cally turn into slackers when they step onto the Rice campus.

Consider a situation where two freshmen are in the same 101-level class. One student took an AP class in high school but didn't receive Rice credit and decided to retake the same subject for an easy A. The other student has no prior exposure to the course material. Is it fair to have both of these students subject to the same expectations in the same class? No. Will this situation become problematic if AP credit is elimi-nated? Absolutely: If AP students are forced to retake introductory classes, they may be turned off from pursuing advanced courses in disciplines in which the teach-ing vastly improves over that at the introductory level.

And the Thresher's proposal is directly contradictory to the vision statement, which empha-sizes Rice's engagement with our community. Rice currently has numerous outreach programs in secondary education, including AP teacher development throughout neighboring school districts. If Rice were to stop accepting AP credit, it would be a slap in the face to these programs. This snooty image of not accepting AP or IB credit is not what Rice stands for.

ITie Ihresher should be more responsible about gauging the repercussions of a change in AP and IB credit and its effect on our entire community and should not use blanket justifications based on Harvard and Yale penis envy.

Jason Gershman Statistics graduate student

Hanszen '01 Former Thresher asst. sports editor

' f f a l ' Zt' • |

K THE RICE THRESHER OPINION FRIDAY, MARCH 10,2006

Let's all take a step back...

Students need to stand up for their politics Rice as a whole is not a par-ticularly politically active campus. However, this lack of activism does not stem fron. students' apathy. In fact, if you ask the average Rice studei.t a question about politics, he will be quite happy to debate it back and forth for hours.

And do not start spout-ing, "Don't just talk the talk, walk the walk," because that is not the problem either. Rather, the problem is that we are all afraid to bring the questions up, much less act on them.

Rice has a very accepting envi-ronment, or at least students try very hard to be accepting. Students view tolerance as the noblest of all virtues, except perhaps tolerance of intolerance—that's a fuzzy area. While this tolerance does not keep Rice students from having partisan opinions, it can often make us slow to voice them.

However, a great deal of commu-nication does occur. The problem is that in most arguments, we try to make it clear that while we do not agree, we still show tolerance for the other side. This is an admirable goal for Rice's political discussion and — at least in my naive fresh-man existence — has fostered the ideal, Utopian environment for po-

Katy Mulvaney

litical debate. Now if we could only bring ourselves to provoke more such discussions.

The trouble with spending half of our debate time on showing tolerance for the other side's point of view is that this just does not happen in the real world. In the real world, a large, unified and extremely partisan force is the only way to make a splash. One must appeal to the people with moderate views, of course, but to get anything done you need

fanatics to get things started and keep them going.

Those who constantly 'agree to disagree'

cannot pursue their political or social

goals relentlessly and therefore cannot make

a difference.

November, Texans voted on a pro-posed state constitutional amend-ment to ban gay marriage. Opinions on this issue unified a great deal of the student body, and students were much more active. In this instance, they were willing to take a firm stand on a divisive issue and claim their side as absolutely right. It was refreshing.

Students can and should still respect their opponents. But if we want to make a difference, we can-not dismiss the debates with, "We can agree to disagree."

Rice s tuden t s are what all politicians would be in an ideal world—courteous, respectful, un-derstanding and willing to listen to their opponents. However, we also need to be willing to consistently stand up and say very loudly, "You are wrong." And we need fanatics to keep any organization active and influential. Those who constantly "agree to disagree" cannot pursue their political or social goals relent-lessly and therefore cannot make a difference.

We might be afraid to challenge what we see as the fragile cease-fire of tolerant debate, but I do not think that mindset does justice to Rice's political paradise. We have a stable, lasting peace, so don't be afraid to be decided.

Every once in a while, there are issues that students care enough about to rally the troops. Last

Katy Mulvaney is a Baker College freshman.

Rice Voices

Here's the low-down on the stare-down S p r i n g i s in the air. The sun is out. Frisbees skim the quad and every-one is procrastinating, with spring break on the tip of their tongues. As sleeves and pant legs shorten, more people are out and about, soaking up the weather. It is this time every spring when I become more aware of the "face off."

You know what I'm talking about: the walk-ing encounter between two acquainted people. It happens a million times every day — in New York, New Delhi and the new part of the library These encounters do not just happen while walking, either. They occur on public transportation, in bars, at the store and, yes boys, even in the bathroom.

In most countries, there are unique greeting traditions when you see someone you know. Some cultures bow, others wave. Some shake hands, kiss on the cheek or salute. But the United States does not have a go-to greeting. Styles vary greatly, and regardless of how confident you are — or aren't — the "face of f ' can be awkward for everyone involved. It is different everywhere, but at Rice we have our typical encounters.

First, there is the approach. You see the person. He sees you. Your eyes lock. Do you say hello? When? How? Say something too soon and you are branded as des-perate. But waiting just breeds an awkward stare down. Suddenly, one or both parties reaches for a cell phone — you forgot to text in your American Idol vote.

Then, the pass. Do you say something or avoid eye contact alto-gether? Do you ask "How are you?" despite the fact that you aren't really looking for the answer? Should you smile or go for the obligatory nod? And if you're going to wave, what kind of wave? There's the cowboy finger salute, the flash of the palm, the side-to-side rapid wave and so many others to choose from.

Your behavior probably depends on whose path you're about tocross. Most people greet a professor quite differently than a hottie from last night's party. And of course there

are the times I think to myself, "Wait a second, do I even know this person?"

From what I have noticed, there are three kinds of walkers: wavers, stop-pers and ground-gazers. Most people are wavers. A waver will throw in a casual greeting and may or may not actually know your name. A male waver regu larly executes the reverse nod. He tilts his head upward, juts out his chin and utters "what's up" two octaves lower than usual. Female

wavers usually force a smile and squeal a high-pitched "Hi!"

The diplomatic waver knows everyone's name and rattles them off impeccably with grace and confidence. The elementary waver usually ends up quasi-waving, leav-ing the opposite person thoroughly confused: Was that a wave or a muscle spasm? Some wavers smile, while others attempt a humorous quip and fail miserably. Then there are the creepy wavers, who secretly imagine the other people naked as they wave and smile.

Second, there are the stoppers — usually the obligatory profes-sors, the chatty Cathies and the sycophants.They typically trap you with a stare from 20 feet away and move in immediately. Stoppers love to chat, regardless that class is about to start in a minute or that you desperately need to use the restroom. If you are a stopper, you love other stoppers. They make you feel special. If you are not a stopper, you try to figure out how to politely end the conversation the entire time. Stoppers change the route you take to class. But the true stoppers will track you down.

Finally, the ground-gazer. There are two types. The compulsive ground-gazer is most likely a graduate student, an engineer or both. He avoids eye contact if at all possible. Then there is the impulsive ground-gazer who just cannot remember your name at the moment. As if staring at the sidewalk is really going to help. She knows she has met you.

In a small community like Rice, it is hard to claim total ignorance.

If you, as a walker, do not know the oncoming traffic personally, I can safely say you have probably been in classes with them, you have attended the same parties or your roommate(s) have hooked up with them. And if you do not know them through those chan-nels, admit it — you have clicked through their photo albums on the Facebook.

As spring ripens and procras-tination reaches its annual high, we could stand to improve our outdoor etiquette. Whether you are passing a classmate, a card swiper, a professor or President David Leebron, throw a greeting their way. Odds are the favor will be returned.

In the end, I like how Confucius summed up the art of human in-teraction: "Don't worry about not being acknowledged by others; worry about failing to acknowl-edge them." And by the way, I'm a waver. Happy walking.

Jo Kent is a Baker College senior.

Self-proclaimed gadfly

My hypothetical platform as SA president Nothing brings me back to my elementary school days like General Elections season. After studying the colorful post-ers stating nothing more than name and position, I was a fully educated voter ready for the extravagant popularity contests. But somet imes , in my naive poli t ical musings, I think the Student Association might actually ac-complish something.

Beneath my chestnut curls lie dreams of a powerful s tudent executive, properly delegated respon-sibili t ies and a deservedly serious attitude.

S o m e t i m e s I think that 1 could be the man for that job — I could be SA president. But no, I did not run. I can't quit you. Backpage.

If I were SA president, the first thing I would do — besides using the position as a pick-up line — is revamp the SA's priori-ties. I^ast year, the SA held an all-campus picnic. It was fun, informative and entirely not the SA's job. Big, fun, campus-wide events should be organized by Rice Programs Council.

From my bully pulpit , I would make sure RPC represented the wants and needs of the student body. A $50-per-couple pseudo-formal in Sketchtown should not be a main use of student funds, and subsidizing tickets for mon-ster truck rallies is the Bigfoot of bad ideas. Instead, with some presidential cajoling, RPC could bring bands on campus.

Evan Mintz

/ could be SA president. But no, I did not run. I can V

quit you, Backpage.

However , t h e s e would be but strong recommenda-tions to RPC from a strong executive — an executive avoid-ing social planning himself and working 24/7 to better Rice.

Speaking of 24 hours, if I were president. I would work to provide 24-hour food service on campus. Nearly every other

univers i ty ha s s o m e t h i n g , even if just a vending machine with quality snacks. Not that Taco Cabana and House of Pies

aren't good, but it is about time we get on par with every other college in the coun-try. A 24-hour mini-mart with pre-made sandwiches , ch ips and o t h e r s n a c k s cannot be that hard to get.

Maybe wi thout constant trips to culi-nary late-night loves, s tudents would be

more likely to visit other areas around campus. Of course, what could make that even more likely are deals with those places. I am not sure how many students have used their Hedge-h opper card at A Woman's Work: Babies, Birth, Breastfeeding, but I think discounts at Kahn's Deli and movie theaters would be slightly more useful.

And it is even harder to get to places outside the Rice Village, especially for people without cars. That's why, if I were presi-dent, I would work to provide subsidized cab fares. This would help open Houston to students, especially areas not along Main Street, and help prevent drunk driving for those who want to drink off campus.

On campus, a great way to ensure public parties are fun for everyone is to have an applause-o-meter. When a new song starts, the college socials could take a reading from the meter, and if too few students applaud, switch to the next song. That way, students could really enjoy parties, rather than just put up with what is laid down. Indeed, communicatingstudent opinion to those in control, whether behind a board table or a turn-table, would be a priority of my administration.

Of course, given my often-di-visive columns and my sexually reveali ng manifesto a few weeks ago, I guess I'm not very elect-able as SA president, no matter what my ideas are. Then again, maybe it doesn't matter too much — after all. Bill Clinton got elected.

Evan Mintz is a Hanszen College sophomore and opinion and backpage editor.

the Rice Thresher Amber Obermeyer

Editor in Chief

Nathan Black Senior Editor

NEWS David Brown, Editor Risa Gordon, Editor Sarah Baker. Asst. Editor Beko Binder, Asst. Editor Matt Youn, Page Designer

COPY Carl Hammarsten, Editor Ryan Stickney, Editor

SPORTS Matt McCabe, Editor Stephen Whitfield, Editor Dylan Farmer. Assf. Editor

PHOTOGRAPHY Diana Yen, Editor Taylor Johnson, Editor Marcus Roman, Asst Editor

LIFESTYLES Julia Bursten, Editor Marshall Robinson, Designer

CALENDAR Nathan Bledsoe, Editor

OPINION Evan Mintz, Editor Schuyler Woods, Asst. Editor

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Julia Bursten, Editor Bryce Gray, Assf. Editor Margaret Tung, Assf. Editor

BUSINESS Sawyer Bonsib. Business Manager Adam Benaroya, Ass/. Business Manager Charlie Foucar, Subscriptions Manager Sarah Mitchell, Payroll Manager Sarah Taylor, Office Manager Daniel Holman, Distribution Manager Brian Wolf, Distribution Manager

ADVERTISING Matt Osher, Ads Manager Joseph Ramirez, <4ssf. Ads Manager Sarah Mitchell, Classified Ads Manager

BACKPAGE F.van Mintz, Editor

Stephanie Zimmerman, Cartoonist

The Rice Thresher, the official student newspaper at Rice University since 1916, is published each Friday during the school year, except during examination periods and holidays, by the students of Rice University.

Editorial and business offices are located on the second floor of the Ley Student Center, 6100 Main St., MS-524, Houston, TX 77005-1892. Phone (713) 348-4801. Fax (713) 348-5238. E-mail: thresher8irice.edu. Web page: tvww.ricethresher.org.

Annual subscription rate: $50 domestic, $125 international. Nonsubscription rate: first copy free, second copy $5.

The Thresher reserves the right to refuse any advertising for any reason. Additionally, the Thresher does not take responsibility for the factual content of any ad. Printing an advertisement does not constitute an endorsement by the Thresher.

Unsigned editorials represent the majority opinion of the Thresher editorial staff. All other opinion pieces represent solely the opinion of the author. The Backpage is satire.

The Thresher is a member of the Associated Collegiate Press. Hate is all you need.

€> COPYRIGHT 2006.

" H w ' Tiki:

THE RICE THRESHER NEWS FRIDAY, MARCH 10,2006

ELECTIONS From page 1

Ross said he plans to look for ways to contribute to the SA next year.

Although the number of voters was down from last year, Lloyd said he was pleased with the increase in the number of candidates for SA positions.

"It was great to see so many candidates actively campaigning for positions such as secretary, treasurer and external vice presi-dent," Lloyd said. "It brought new energy to those races. It was nice to see these positions drawing more attention from the student body."

Executive committee As SA external vice president,

Mesta said she would like to in-crease school spirit and awareness of the SA.

"One of my goals is to improve homecoming," she said. "Especially with the new football coach, I think it would help to have more events during homecoming and increase school spirit in general. ... I think a lot of students don't realize that the SA does a lot of behind-the-scenes stuff. It would help to have the SA label on things such as Families Weekend and homecoming."

Mesta said she also hopes to improve the SA's relationship with alumni.

Baker said that as SA secretary she would like to distribute the meeting minutes more widely by posting them in the Student Center, adding more students to the SA listserv and possibly sending the minutes to the college listservs.

"I want to make sure students completely understand the issues," Baker said.

Dayal said that as SA treasurer, he wants to be active in overseeing other blanket tax organizations' bu d-gets and informing students how SA money is being spent Lovett junior Dean Baxtresser proposed the latter idea as part of his platform for SA treasurer, Dayal said.

"I really like his idea that we should make the SA spending more transparent and let students know the inner workings of where exactly the money is going," Dayal said.

Blanket tax positions The presidents of seven other

blanket tax organizations were elected in uncontested races. Sammy the Owl and 20 other posi-

tions in the Rice Student Volunteer Program, Honor Council, RTV5, University Court and University Council were also filled in the elec-tion (See box at right).

RPC President-elect MegSheeley said she wants to create new, smaller RPC programs to complement traditional events like Esperanza, Screw Your Roommate, Rondelet, the Crush Party and the Assassina-tion Game. Sheeley, a Jones College sophomore, said she also aims to heighten publicity.

"As a 'program council,'we should be working with more people more often," Sheeley said. "I feel like we hold a lot of events, but not a lot of people are aware of them. I think the reputation of RPC ... could be improved by getting the word out to colleges."

Sheeley said she would like RPC to put on and subsidize more cultural events.

"I thought RPC did ticket sales well this past year — bringing in the right events with high demand," Sheeley said. "It was amazing seeing students line up outside the RPC office for tickets. That gives us the right idea for where we want to go next year."

U. Blue amendment U. Blue co-Editor in Chief Joseph

Chang said he thinks the U. Blue

PREFERENTIAL VOTING The purpose of preferential voting is to establish a majority for one candidate. If no candidate gets 50 percent of first-place votes, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated and his supporters' votes are redistributed to their second-place choices. This process continues until one candidate has 50 percent of the votes.

Teplitskiy 12.0%

Chlfari 16.4%

Tupper 42 .8%

Ross 41.2%

Tupper 58.8%

Tupper 48.7%

Ross 34.9% Ross

31.0%

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amendment to increase its blanket tax from $1.00 to $1.40 — which the literary magazine's editors proposed in order to increase circulation — failed because of a Thresher staff editorialopposingtheincrease ("Our endorsements for the spring elec-tion," Feb. 24).

"In retrospect, a letter to the editor rebutting the staff editorial might have helped," Chang, a Han-szen senior, said. "I suppose students didn't think it was necessary to [raise the tax]. I thought all of our reasons for the tax increase were covered very well in the Thresher [news] article and at the [Feb. 20] SA meeting, and

I didn't see a point in getting into a battle of rhetoric over it."

Chang said that without the tax increase, U. Blue will probably only be able to print about 200 magazines next year.

"When U. Blue was approved as a blanket-tax organization, the inference was that this was an organization that deserved the sup-port of the students," Chang said. "However, with the unfortunate election results, this isn't obviously the case."

Chang said he and next year's editors will discuss proposing the blanket tax increase again.

GENERAL ELECTIONS RESULTS The results of the Spring 2006 General Elections are listed below.

Office SA president

SA internal vice president

SA external vice president

SA treasurer

SA secretary

Honor Council senior class rep.

Honor Council junior class rep.

Honor Council sophomore class rep.

University Court senior class rep.

University Court junior class rep.

University Court sophomore class rep.

RSVP chair

RSVP internal vice chair

RSVP external vice chair

RSVP secretary

RPC president

Campanile editor in chief

Thresher editor in chief

KTRU station manager

U. Blue editor in chief

RTV5 station manager

RTV5 program director

University Council rep.

Sammy the Owl

Amendments

RBT name change to RTV5

Honor Council amendments

RPC Constitution amendments

U Blue blanket tax increase

Winner(s)

Althea Tupper

Laura Kelley

Ceci Mesta

Akshay Dayal

Sarah Baker

Farhan Katchi Andrew Koller Teresa Monkkonen Becky Thilo

Court Jackson Charles Lawrie Ryan Stinnett

Allie Obermeyer Rachel Patterson Arianne Urus

Alison Morgan Ting Wang

Catherine Yen

Ben Carson Katherine Gomer

Tam Nguyen

Jennifer Lai

Laura Mengheang

Vicky Pridgen

Meg Sheeley

Kristina McDonald

David Brown

Rachel Trube

Ingrid Norbergs Katie McCurry

Daniel Derozier

Brett Snider

Aditya Atholi Susel Perez

Matt McDonell

Passed

Passed

Passed

Failed

STUDENT PUBLICATIONS INTERNSHIP SUMMER 2006

I he Rice publications intern works on the Newcomer ' s

Guide, the Beyond the I ledges guide to 1 louston, the s tudent

handbook and the campus directory. This on campus

s u m m e r position offers hourly compensat ion for twelve

weeks maximum, up to 40 hours per week.

Applications are available online at www.ruf.rice edu/~stumedia

and in the Office of Student Media in the S tudent C enter.

Contact keepcrte rice.edu for information.

APPLICATION DEADLINE IS FRIDAY, MARCH 31.

THE RICE THRESHER NEWS FRIDAY, MARCH 10,2006

TAYLOR JOHNSON/THRESHER

Masquerade Architecture majors Adam Williams, a Lovett College sophomore, and Rachel Gonzales, a Hanszen College sophomore, dance at the Archl Arts party March 4. Archl Arts was held at Numbers nightclub and Is a fundraiser to help sophomore architecture students pay for their mandatory trip to Paris over spring break.

VP Shepard to retire in May by Risa Gordon

THRESHER EDITORIAL STAFF

Vice President for Public Affairs Ter ry Shepard will retire from Rice at the end of the academic year. Shepard came to Rice from Stanford in July 1999.

Shepard said there will likely b e a na t iona l s e a r c h for h i s replacement.

In his seven years at Rice, Shepard oversaw the creation of two electronic newsletters — one for alumni and one for 1,500 jour-nalists — and increased exposure for Rice in publications. News and Media Relat ions Director B.J. Almond said Rice's exposure in The New York Times has more than doubled, and its exposure in o ther media in trade and research publications is about seven t imes higher.

"All of those citations he lp raise Rice's visibility [and] help with fundraising and recrui t ing because Rice is looked at as a very reputable place to be," Al-mond said.

In addition to media relations, Shepard oversees web and print communicat ions , including the Sallyport magazine. He also over-sees community and government relations — which interacts with local and state governments and s c h e d u l e s br idal p h o t o g r a p h s on campus — and minority com-munity relations. Shepard also advises Rice employees about communicat ing with the media. Shepard said he is the university's representat ive to the public and the publ ic ' s r ep re sen ta t i ve to Rice.

Shepard said before he was hired, a consultant created a list

Vice President for Public Affairs Terry Shepard will retire at the end of the semester.

about what faculty and staff would like to see f rom the newly created vice president for public affairs position. The highest i tems on the list were increasing national visibility, developing a message and improving Rice's presence in the Houston Chronicle. Shepard said he thinks Public Affairs has done a good job of meet ing those goals.

Shepard said he has enjoyed interacting with students, faculty and staff at Rice, and that the way in which the Rice community worked together to prepare for Hurricane Rita in September was one of his most memorable moments .

"The p r e p a r a t i o n s and t h e dealing with Hurricane Rita were a great example of teamwork," Shepard said. "In my experience, emergencies are the most memo-rable events and bring out the best in people."

Almond said the Public Affairs staff will miss Shepard and that he was surprised to hear Shepard is retiring.

S T U D E N T A S S O C I A T I O N The Student Association met Monday. The following were discussed.

• The SA senate approved a new club, the Rice Renegade Ninja Society. The club meets Friday and Saturday nights to practice assassination and espionage techniques using modified Nerf weapons. Interested students should send an e-mail to Peter Scully at pscully@rice.edu.

• SA President James Lloyd announced that positions unfilled by candidates in this week's general elections will be filled in the springelections. Petitions for those positions, which include RSVP treasurer, a University Court at-large position and three Honor Council at-large positions, are due March 20 at 5 p.m.

In last week's article, "Outside firm begins planning for new college, renovations" Assistant to the Dean of Undergraduates Matthew Taylor should have been quoted as saying steering committee members said having public spaces for speakers and other intellectual pro-grams is important.

The Thresher regrets the error.

"He's a great leader, and he inspires a great deal of enthusiasm in his staff," Almond said.

Shepard and his wife, Debra Thomas , who is the director of market ing and public relations at the Je s se H. Jones School of Management , will move to Bal-t imore, Md.

Shepard said he and Thomas want to be able to pursue issues that are important to them, which include gay rights and the living wage movement.

"We're ready to follow Tho-r eau ' s advice: 'Go confident ly in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you've imagined,'" Shepard said.

P O L I C E B L O T T E R

The following items were reported to the Rice University Police Department for the period March 1-6.

Residential Colleges Baker College

Wiess College

Brown College

Academic Buildings Sewall Hall

March 3 Fire alarm. Students referred to Student Judicial Programs.

March 5 EMS requested assistance with intoxicated male. Subject t ranspor ted to Method is t Hospital via Houston Fire Department for treatment.

March 5 Wallet stolen from fifth floor restroom.

March 1 Purse stolen.

George R. Brown Hall March 4 Laptop stolen.

Other Buildings Autry Court

Parking Lots Greenbriar Lot

Other Areas Laboi atr>ry .'toad

Entrance 8

Entrance 3

March 1 Cell phone stolen.

March 3 Suspicious vehicle seen. Two s u b j e c t s a r r e s t e d fo r possession of marijuana, public intoxication and possession of fake ident i f icat ions. Both individuals remanded to Harris County Jail.

March 5 Traffic stop. Student issued city citation for minor driving under the influence and released to dorm.

March 5 Student from previous incident found driving a different vehicle. Student arrested for minor driving under the influence and remanded to Harris County Jail.

March 6 Vehicle stopped for driving without headlights. Non-Rice subject arrested for forged paper license plates. Subject remanded to Harris County Jail.

RICE UNDERGRADUATE SCHOLARS PROGRAM (RUSP) (HONS470/471)

Applications are now being taken for the Rice Undergraduate Scholars Program (RUSP) for the 2006-2007 academic year.

For further information and an application form, please consult the RUSP web page: http://www.owlnet.rice.edu/-hons470/

RUSP is designed for juniors or seniors from any department who are considering graduate school and/or academic careers. Each student accepted into the program undertakes an independent research project mentored by a faculty member chosen by the student. Research grants in the range $250-$ 1,700 per year are awarded to help pay the costs of RUSP projects. Many students attend a professional conference and present a paper.

During the first semester (3 credits), each student writes a funding proposal, prepares oral and written progress reports and begins work on the research project. Weekly class meetings deal with a variety of topics related to research and scholarship. In the second semester, (variable credit, usually 3-6 credits), students focus on research/writing and present their results orally and in the form ot a scholarly paper.

The RUSP faculty coordinators for 2006-2007 are:

Don Johnson Michael Watkins Lora VVildenthal

ECE (d hj @ rice.ed u ) Psychology (v*atkins@rice.edu I Historv (wildenth@rice.edu)

\4956 \3416 \3526

The RUSP web site includes information about applying for the 2006-2007 program. It also contains a FAQ list and the names and email addresses of current RUSP students. Please (eel tree to contact any of the faculty coordinators or current students.

Application deadline: April 7, 2006.

THE RICE THRESHER NEWS FRIDAY. MARCH 10,2006

NCAA ACADEMIC PROGRESS RATES Rice teams rank high in NCAA academic statistic

by Amber Obermeyer THRESHER EDITORIAL STAFF

Eight of Rice's fourteen varsity athletic teams ranked among the top lOpercentofDivision Iuniversi-ties based on the NCAA's Academic Progress Rates, which were re-leased last week. The golf, soccer, swimming, men's tennis, women's cross country and women's track and field teams all had perfect scores of 1,000, which means that over the last two years, every team member remained both eligible to play and enrolled at Rice.

A team can earn two points per semester for each scholarship athlete — one if the athlete stays eligible to compete and another if he or she stays enrolled at Rice. The APR is calculated by dividing a team's points by the total points possible and multiplying by 1,000.

The men's track and field and women's basketball teams also ranked in the top 10 percent nation-ally in those sports with APRs of 994 and 992, respectively.

The baseball team had the low-est APR at Rice, 943. Teams with APRs below 925 face sanctions from the NCAA. The NCAA sets the maximum number of scholar-ships a school can give in each sport, and universities can lose up to 10 percent of this limit by having deficient APRs. The APRs were introduced last year, but this year is the first time teams were penalized for low rates.

Men's basketball was the only other team within 45 points of the minimum, with 957, and both baseball and men's basketball were above the national averages for those sports. Assistant Athletic Director for Compliance Jason Gray said it is more common for base-ball and men's basketball players

to transfer than it is for athletes in other sports, both at Rice and nationwide. If an athlete transfers while in good academic standing, the team loses one of two possible points for him or her.

Gray said he expects Rice's APRs to remain about the same in the future.

"There ' s always a chance, especially with small teams, that just one person leaving can make a difference," Gray said. "There are some things you can't foresee —someone transferring or leaving for any reason — but I don't see anything drastic happening."

Gray said the athletic depart-ment did not make any changes in response to the NCAA's adoption of this new system.

Athletic Director Bobby May (Will Rice '65) said he was pleased with Rice's APRs.

"We did very well," May said. "And that's a function of kids caring about academics and working hard to do a great job. They always do around here — they take it very seriously, and we're proud of the work they do."

Three Conference USA schools were penalized: East Carolina University in men's basketball, the University of Memphis in men's track and field and the University of Alabama-Birmingham in men's tennis and women's basketball.

Also, the University of Texas' baseball team was penalized the maximum for that sport, 1.17 schol-arships. May said he thinks the new penalties will cause other schools to focus more on academics.

"I'm sure as we get further into this, things will improve nation-ally," May said. "1 think [APRs and penalties] are a very good way to address a situation that needs to be addressed."

Last week, the NCAA released its Academic Progress Rates, which measure the academic progress and retention of varsity athletic teams. The tables below compare Rice's rates to those of selected other private schools as well as to the averages for Division I universities and Division I private universities.

Men's Rice Duke Stanford Northwestern Division 1 Private

Baseball 9 4 3 962 965 967 9 3 1 952

Basketball 957 9 7 8 954 9 3 5 927 947

Cross country 984 — 989 — 9 5 9 980

Football 9 7 1 9 7 5 995 9 6 1 9 2 9 955

Golf 1000 1000 983 1000 9 6 1 974

Tennis 1000 9 7 1 1000 1000 9 6 0 969

Track and field 994 — 992 — 9 5 0 972

Women's Rice Duke Stanford Northwestern Division 1 Private

Basketball 992 989 984 9 8 0 9 5 8 969

Cross country 1000 990 988 9 8 6 9 7 1 980

Soccer 1000 1000 983 9 9 5 9 7 1 982

Swimming 1000 995 1000 9 9 4 9 7 8 985

Tennis 9 7 1 1000 955 984 9 6 8 975

Track and field 1000 1000 966 — 9 6 5 979

Volleyball 9 7 1 990 1000 1000 9 6 8 979

Team APRs

1000

900

800

X) 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0

i l l 211 9 5 7

9 2 5

«<?

COMMITTEE From page 1

academics. ... There's so much going on in O-Week that 1 don't know that we effectively get the point across that intellectual life extends beyond the classroom."

Forman said he does not ex-pect major changes to O-Week an d that in five or six years, O-Week will likely resemble the current model. He said his experience as Jones College master from 2002-'05 convinced him of how important O-Week is in setting the tone for first-year students — and that currently O-Week is mostly successful. However, improve-ments can be made, he said.

"It's in everyone's interest that we regularly examine O-Week and see if we're providing as reward-ing an experience as we can," Forman said. "Wedo (orientation J better than any other university 1 know. But there are some things we don't spend much time on."

For instance, Forman said he

would also like to see O-Week focus more on connections to Houston.

'O-Week gets so packed... that often, it's just like afire hose in the face for first-year students.' — Matthew Taylor (Ph.D. '92)

Assistant to the dean of undergraduates

"Our engagement with the city of Houston is becoming a prominent initiative on campus," Forman said. "It's changing weekend social events and [the curriculum]. It would be great if

that message could be said dur-ing O-Week as well: that when you come to Rice, the entire city of Houston is part of the set of resources open to you."

The committee has met three times, and Stoll said it has not developed consensus opinions. He said the committee members should not rely on their own ex-periences with O-Week, and that members will seek opinions from people outside the committee. Taylor said the committee might divide into interviewing teams.

"I think we'll be talking to a lot of people for a long time," Taylor said.

The committee is temporary, Taylor said, but will likely last through most of the 2006-'07 academic year.

Alex Stoll is not related to Richard Stoll. Nathan Black contributed to this report.

COMMITTEE ON THE FIRST-YEAR EXPERIENCE Name Richard Stoll, chair Joel Wolfe Paul Harcombe Jane Grande-Allen Catherine Clack Michele Daley Emily Page Holly Williams Ceci Mesta John Horstman James Lloyd Alex Paul

Position Political science professor Will Rice College master, history professor Biology professor Bioengineering professor Multicultural Affairs director Academic Advising director Wellness Center director Student Activities assistant director Martel College freshman Honor Council chair, Sid Richardson College junior

'Student Association president. Brown College senior 2005 0 Week student director, Jones College senior

RONDELET From page 1

that RPC is strongly consider-ing holding Esperanza there in the fall.

Shee ley said the Hous ton Zoo was unattractive as a venue because it closes at midnight, while d a n c e s usually end at 2 a.m., and because the Presi-dent 's Office hosted a similar Passport to Houston event there during the first Owl Weekend this spring.

Sheeley said Rondelet will not be held at a nightclub because

RPC did not want Rondelet to be alcohol-focused. Sheeley said she did not want to hold it at a hotel or on campus because she wants a t tendees to be eager to participate in a variety of activities at the event.

"Hotels are not really the idea I want," Sheeley said. "We want to get people excited and have a new, fun thing to do. We could always hire people [to perform at a hotel I but at the same time,. . . hotels just aren't very interesting."

NEW COLLEGE PRESIDENTS In the last two weeks, Jones, Martel, Sid Richardson and Wiess colleges elected their presidents for 2006-'07. The incoming presidents for all colleges are listed below.

College Baker Brown Hanszen Jones Lovett Martel Sid Richardson Wiess Will Rice

President Sara Zampierin Sara Hampton Stephen Rooke Patricia Mahoney Anish Patel Manny Gardberg Ashley Rachelle Head Chris Kudron Brian Schwab

j •

• -

www. rice thresh er. org

*J-— tmMm »«'JRJ- -1 l!i«M t. :->.K

THE RICE THRESHER ADVERTISEMENT FRIDAY, MARCH 10,2006

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• $ . . . m ,

w e e k l y

SCENE Thresher editors',

recommendations for arts and entertainment

around Houston through March 24

RODEO

Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo

Texas' biggest rodeo event will

continue through March 19 at

Reliant Stadium. The Houston

Livestock Show and Rodeo is

known for its daily concerts,

country and otherwise, and this

year's headliners include Larry

the Cable Guy,

Hilary Duff, Maroon 5

and Alan Jackson.

For more information,

including a schedule of

events ticket prices,

visit www.hlsr.com

GALLERIES

The Art of War s Gremillion and Company Fine

Art opens a mixed-

media exhibit Friday,

featuring pieces inspired by

human conflict. The gallery will

hold a reception

from 6-8 p.m. opening night,

and the exhibit will be on

display until April 23.

FRIDAY, MARCH 10,2006 THE RICE THRESHER ARTS & E

Gremillion and Company

2501 Sunset Blvd.

FASHION

Sari Workshop

Indian Students at Rice

presents an information

session on saris March 24.

The study break will cover how

to wear saris, including a few

of the more than 300

variations on donning the

traditional Indian

women's garment.

Kelley Lounge

3-5 p.m.

COURTESY TSOTSI FILMS

Presley Chweneyagae plays the violent, product-of-soclety protagonist in director Gavin Hood's Tsotsl.

Tsotsi features realistic, brutal social analysis of South Africa Margaret Tung THRESHER EDITORIAL STAFF

Hollywood exhausted the boy-grew-up-on-the-wrong-side-of-the-tracks movie not long after Rebel Without a Cause. But when director Gavin Hood inserted this cliche plot into an independent foreign production, he proved the story can still be compelling.

'tsotsi'

rating • • • • o f five

at the angelika march 11 see below for awards information

In Tsotsi, Hood invites his audience to see South Africa through the eyes of the title char-acter (newcomer Presley Chweneyagae). In this honest portrayal of survival and redemption, all the facets of human nature are presented in a thought-provoking way.

Hood's fictional film mimics a case study as it meticulously tracks Tsotsi's day-to-day life. Viewers are first shown the dark side of the character — he has a bloody fistiight with a friend and an equally violent and unforgiving job as a full-time robber.

'ITie film's real action begins when he shoots a rich woman and s teals her BMW, only to crash the car and find he r baby in the backseat . Unable to ignore the baby 's innocent gurgl ing and playful brown eyes , he wraps the child in swaddling blankets ,

carefully places him in a large shopping bag and takes him.

Obviously not what most consider a fatherly figure, Tsotsi immediately has trouble caring for the youngster. But what is more interesting is the dichotomy in personality that already becomes apparent in the main character.The audience has seen him beat a good friend unrecognizable and gun down an innocent woman, yet he reserves an unwarranted tenderness with a child who is not even his own.

An interesting melding of the two sides of the character takes place when Tsotsi becomes desperate to feed the baby after he has run out of options in his small shack. Going back to doing what he knows best, Tsotsi resor ts to violence.

Since Tsotsi strives to be realistic, the movie is often BLATANTLY violent.

He follows a woman from the village's sandy streets to her shaded doorway. He waves his gun at the air and pushes her to feed the baby. Although his motives in keeping the baby are uncertain, behind his cold exterior is a strange paternal instinct.

See TSOTSI, page 10

Rock O' the Irish Ju l i a B u r s t e n THRESHER EDITORIAL STAFF

Episode III: St. Patrick's Day looms just one short week away, conveniently scheduled this year in the middle of Rice's spring break. So to prevent students' St. Patty's party playlists from overflowing with complete blarney, here are a few artists who can bring any bland musical lineup the luck of the Irish.

Saw Doctors A folk-rock band from County Galway, Ireland, the Doctors' music combines guitar — reminiscent of that of Van Morrison circa Astral Weeks — with heavy pennywhistle, fiddle and Celtic-accented vocals. Top Picks "I Useta Lover" and "(Meet Me onl Clare Island"

House of Pain I.ead singer Everlast, whose band hit char ts for the 1990s party anthem "Jump Around," exhibits a fair amount of Irish symbolism in the vocals of many of its other tracks. While the instrumentals tend to be more rap- and metal-influenced than Irish, the lyrics are humorous, energetic and perfect for keg stands. Top Picks "Shamrocks and Shenanigans" and 'Top O' the Mornin' ToYa"

Dropkick Murphys The essence of the Bostonian-Irish spirit, this punk-heavy, seven-piece group is often compared to Flogging Molly and the Pogues. However, the Murphys' sound is distinct from these two bands because of its frat-house-friendly appeal. Top Picks "For Boston" and "Finnegan's Wake"

Leahy 'Hie only Canadian-Irish band currently popular on either country's musical scene, Leahy is the most melodic of the bands listed here and has the most emphasis on instrumental and dance numbers. 'Hieir songs tend to pop up at feiseanna, traditional Irish dance competitions. Top Picks "Coyote Way" and "Borrowed Time"

The Corrs For Irish music fans who cannot stomach punk rock and are not ready for traditional Irish instrumentals, the Corrs are a wonderful compromise. They reached American char ts in 1995 with the single "Runaway" and again in 2000 with "Breathless." Top Picks "I Never I,oved you

Anyway" and "Only When I Sleep"

Bad Haggis Not just an intimidating gastrointestinal foe anymore, Bad Haggis is the deranged, jazz-inspired brainchild of Eric Rigler, who played pennywhistle for the movies Titanic and liraveheart. In addition to rounding out the Celtic sounds of Hollywood, the band often tours at cultural festivals. Top Picks "Monkey Tree" and "Mysterious Integration"

And the Oscars go to ... by Margaret Tung

As predicted, Jon Stewart was a great host and the rest of the show was ... well, how the rest of the show always is—boring and stuffy. The 78th

annual Academy Awardsceremony was, like the ones that preceded it, more an ode to Hollywood glamour and red carpet interrogation than filmmaking. The Thresher staff's predictions were accurate in three of four actor-related categories, so we are congratulating our-selves — and I>arry McMurtry (M.A '60), who picked up a little gold man for adapting Hrokeback Mountains screenplay. Without further ado, here are some of the other 2006 winners.

Motion Picture of the Year Paul Haggis and Cathy Schulman, Crash Achievement in Directing Ang I>ee, Hrokeback Mountain Actor in a leading Role Philip Seymour Hoffman, Capote Actress in a leading Role Reese Witherspoon, Walk the Line Actor in a Supporting Role George Clooney, Syriana Actress in a Supporting Role Rachel Weisz, 7Tie Constant Gardener Achievement in Cinematography Dion Beebe, Memoirs of a Geisha Animated Feature Film of the Year Nick Park and Steve Box, Wallace and Gromit in the Curse of the Were-Kabbit

Documentary Feature Iajc Jacquet and Yves I )arondeau, March of the Penguins Foreign language Film of the Year Tsotsi, South Africa Original Screenplay Screenplay by Paul Haggis and Bobby Moresco Story by Paul Haggis, Crash Achievement in Film Editing Hughes Winborne, Crash l ifetime Achievement Award Robert Altman

Results from www.oscar.com

m'MUL

THE RICE THRESHER ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT FRIDAY, MARCH 10,2006

OSCAR mi i,i«)i < II

Best Picture produces Oscars' worst call

I used to write a column like this every week. I stopped at the end of last semester be-cause I was finished with pop culture. It had saturated every corner of my life, and I was determined to break free.

I vowed to never pick up Us Weekly again. I told myself that no matter how cur ious I was, the gender of Brad and Angelina's baby was simply none of my bus ines s . And gay cowboys? Well, I love gay cowboys, but do people really want to read 750 words about how much I love gay cowboys? Probably not.

But here I go anyway. I knew it would take a catastrophic event to get me writing again, and it happened at the Oscars Sunday night.

The academy played it safe throughout the night, send-ing s ta tues h o m e with the predictable choices — George Clooney, Rachel Weisz, Reese Witherspoon and Philip Sey-mour Hoffman. But something went terribly awry with the big prize: Best Picture went to direc-tor Paul Haggis' Crash.

Wait a second, isn't there something wrong with this? Critics found it mediocre at best. Audiences came, but in small herds, not droves. It's not like Crash was a cultural phe-nomenon or anything. Speaking of phenomena, what happened to that gay cowboy movie everyone has been talking so much about?

Critics across the country predicted director Ang Lee's Brokeback Mountain would take home the top award. So the moment Jack Nicholson announced Crash, I was frozen on my couch. I immediately began wonder ing how this could have happened.

If real life worked like this, then every missed connection on CRAIG'S LIST would end in a hot date.

Maybe Nicholson read the wrong name. He is looking a bit old these days, and those silly sunglasses would make it difficult for any of us. Or maybe the vote tota ls got mixed up. I know we t rust ac-countants with our taxes, but are the CPAs of PriceWater-houseCooper really equipped for the hefty task of Oscar vot-ing? Where are the foolproof super-computers?

I suppose there is a simpler answer: Maybe Oscar voters really did choose Crash over Brokeback. But it is hard to be l ieve that anyone could prefer the histrionic Crash. My problem is not so much with the f i lm's con ten t or message, although I think it is too harsh on its charac ters and that its view of the world is too bleak. My problem is with the execution.

Haggis links his multiple narrat ives together through a string of forced coincidences.

Jonathan Schumann

If real life worked like this, then every missed connection on Craig's List would end in a hot date. If a film is going to work, it cannot be as con-

trived as this year 's "best" picture.

Now c o m p a r e this film's plot and cultural impact to Brokeback, which is a landmark film even without the Oocar. It is the first of its size and pedigree to por-tray love between two men without the offensive Hollywood s t e r e o t y p e s audi-

ences have come to know. For Jack and Ennis to get the same classy romantic treatment as Scarlet and Rhett is a ground-breaking achievement.

It would take a catastrophic event to get ME writing again, and it happened at the Oscars Sunday night.

Brokeback is also one of the rare films to step outside of the realm of entertainment and into the greater culture. Its subject matter made it a topic of con-versation in all areas.

Despite how many jokes we have heard over the past few months , and no matter what people thought about the controversy Heath l e d g e r and Jake Gyllenhaal caused, Broke-back facilitated a dialogue that o t h e r w i s e would not have occurred . To me, this is what cinema does at its best.

So why didn't the academy give I>ee's masterpiece the nod? If I were really cynical, I would say the voters looked at their line-up of socially-conscious films — which also included George Clooney's Good Night, and Good Luck and Steven Spiel-berg's Munich — and picked the least offensive title. No commentator on Fox News or 'lite Rush Limbaugh Show is go-ing to argue that the academy's choice was too liberal. Everyone can agree that racism is still a very prevalent issue.

But where does that hot, hot cowboy lovin' stand? As inane as it seems to many of us, that debate is still open, and by not slathering on the praise Sunday night, the academy declined to take a side. And beyond the social currency of all of this, let's not forget that Brokeback was more successful commer-cially — it made much more money — and artistically — it received much better reviews and won almost every other film award this year.

With the awards finally over like a bad hangover, the Magno-lia Electric Co.'s twangy ballad "Hard to I>ove a Man" may sum it up best. 'Hie song's opening sound, that of a male voice warbling the line, "It's hard to love a man," seems to define the film, the cultural Zeitgeist and my current relationship with Oscar.

Jonathan Schumann is a Baker College senior and former arts and entertainment editor.

I'OIAR row I k

Arctic Monkeys produce lukewarm CD Bryce Gray THRESHER EDITORIAL STAFF

T h e music indust ry is built on hype. Record label executives buy summer houses in San Diego with checks signed "Hype." MTV video jockeys worship at an altar of hype every weekday afternoon. Struggling garage-band drummers wake up sweating in their KISS pajamas, dreaming of being part of the hype. And hype re turns the favor with bands like the UK's Arctic Monkeys.

Svhatever people say i am, that's what i'm not*

arctic monkeys rating • • • o f f i v e

The Arctic Monkeys, a four-piece rock set, did not invent this culture of propaganda and press releases. But they do stand to ben-efit from the "flavor of the month" nature of the current pop music industry: They have been lauded

with the usual flattery and labeled "the next best thing out of Sheffield, South Yorkshire since ...

"Since the last mediocre thing to come out of Sheffield, South Yorkshire," should have ended that unmeri ted critical acclaim. But A m e r i c a n e n t e r t a i n m e n t propagandis t s were still ready to hand the Arctic Monkeys the keys to the country even before they had two singles released in the United States.

To the band ' s credi t , t he re does not seem to be much pos-turing on Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not. The Arctic Monkeys' music is as honest and straightforward as the band's look—refreshingly unpretentious, the Arctic Monkeys are content to appear in T-shirts and jeans, their hair shorn short .

The musicianship is impeccable; the bloated "Perhaps Vampires Is a Bit Strong But ..." allows each member of the band to show off his chops. A lot of rock stars use

guitars as expensive props, but these kids know their way around their Gibsons.

Whi l e l i s t e n e r s will f in i sh Whatever People Say I Am with a full serving of hotheaded old-fashioned rock, the band's sound is not exactly original. They do not deviate from the standard formula of two guitars, bass and drums. Still, these lads play with a maturity that belies their age.

Lead singer Alex T u r n e r is See MONKEYS, page 10

Texas country music abounds in Houston Nathan B ledsoe THRESHER EDITORIAL STAFF

Tattoo-laden with hair nearing his waist, Cody Canada looks more like a punk rocker than a cowboy — until he opens his mouth and the panhandle drawl surfaces. With a unique sense of style and a musical sound closer to the Allman Brothers than Gar th Brooks, Canada and the other three musicians of Cross Canadian Ragweed embody the regional genre many know as Texas country.

On Monday, two t rue Texas country music stars found themselves in an unusual setting: Cross Canadian Rag-weed joined Robert Earl Keen in concert at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. Football stadium concerts like these are generally reserved for the likes of The Rolling Stones or Bon Jovi — rock groups able to till the cavernous venues with energy and high volumes.

The show was a spectacle in every sense of the word. T r u e Texas country rarely shows its face in large venues like Reliant Stadium. Places such as Gruene Hall near Fredericksburg or the Firehouse here in Houston have a more homegrown, dance hall feel. Texas music is de-signed to tell a story to and for the audience, so interac-tion between fans the performers is a must for the genre — and an impossibility when the bands are performing to such mammoth crowds.

So while the Rodeo is a nice annual change of scenery, music fans should really go back to seeing Texas country the way it is supposed to be seen: in small, local venues. The following calendar lists upcoming, prominent local concerts for the next month.

March 10 Django Walker Firehouse Saloon 5930 Southwest Fwy.

March 10 Reck les s Kelly McGonigel's Mucky Duck 2425 Norfolk St.

March 11 J i m m y Kaiser Goode's Armadillo Palace 5015 Kirby Dr.

March 17 Honeybrowne Sugarland Town Square 15958 City Walk Dr.

March 23 T r e s W o m a c k Pappasito's 13750 Southwest Fwy.

April 1 J a m e s M c M u r t r y The Continental Club 3700 Main St.

April 7 Phi l P r i t che t t Firehouse Saloon 5930 Southwest Fwy.

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10 THE RICE THRESHER ARTS ft ENTERTAINMENT FRIDAY. MARCH 10,2006

MONKEYS Front page 9

barely 20; his smoky, Cockney singing voice does not quite seem to match his lanky frame.

Turner's voice does mesh perfectly with the band's youthful swagger. The Arctic Monkeys' sound is character-ized by the jangle of distorted guitars and a precise rhythm section. On "I Bet You Look Good on The Dancefloor," Turner croons something about "dirty dance floors and dreams of naughtiness" over a thumping guitar melody and falling bass line.

The best song by far is "When the Sun Goes Down," the story of a scummy man with a "driving ban among some other offenses." The song attempts social commentary, but it ultimately succeeds because of a catchy hook and a dancy guitar riff.

On "Riot Van," the band slows down the pace and turns up the emotional intensity. Turner rasps a story about being asked by a police officer, "Have you been drinking son/you don't look old enough to me," to which he replies, "I'm sorry, officer, is there a certain age you're supposed to be?" The song is good evidence of the band's potential and versatility, but the rest of the album blends together in a blur of hi-hats and distorted eighth-note chords.

All the fancy playing in the world cannot make up for uninspired songwriting and the stoic refusal to deviate from a formula. The Arctic Monkeys are a very good version of The Smiths for a 21st-century audience, but they do not break any ground.

Thematically, Whatever People Say / Am sticks mostly to vignettes of British teenage life, rough streets and rainy drunken nights. As the band matures, it will find the right lyrics for the right songs, but it is too early to say whether the Arctic Monkeys will be able to rise above the hype and turn sudden success into an actual career.

TSOTSI From page 8

Frequent use of flashbacks allows the viewer to gain insight into Tsotsi's childhood. Instead, the audience sees his mother on his deathbed, her hand reaching out for her son. This tender moment is shattered by gunfire as Tsotsi's father shoots the family dog to stop it from barking.

The film focuses on Tsotsi's life, so its success relies on Chweneyagae's acting — luckily, he delivers magnificently. With repeated close-ups, the audience sees every mixed emotion and surprised reaction to scenes involv-ing the baby.

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Because the actors' facial expres-sions convey a universal language, there is little dialogue in the film. Suspense builds quietly but effec-tively. When a homeless man in a wheelchair angersTsotsi.hequietly follows the handicapped man from the subway station to a deserted area under a dimly lit highway. The audience is forced to wait patiently for Tsotsi's inevitable attack.

Despite the flashbacks and iso-lated scenes of suspense, the film flows smoothly. Even the goriest of the film's pieces of social com-mentary have a rhythmic sense of cinematography.

Since Tsotsi strives to be realistic, the movie is often blatantly violent. Compared to U.S. films, the violence in this movie appears quick and dis-jointed. Hood's documentary-style depiction of violence portrays an unconscious acceptance of it. When Tsotsi fires at the baby's mother, the camera focuses less on the gun and more on the woman's reaction.

But the blood does not over-whelm the movie's great acting or undercut its complicated situations. Rather, the distinction between right and wrong blurs until the viewer wholly identifies with the main character.

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Petty, puerile portrayal punctures Panther persona

COURTESY COLUMBIA TRISTAR ENTERTAINMENT

Steve Martin makes a mockery of Inspector Jacques Clouseau in director Shawn Levy's remake of The Pink Panther.

New ideas are rare in today's Hollywood. It is cheaper to update an already proven script than to try to rely on creativity. With a couple of fa-mous actors, a large enough budget and a dash of bad taste, a remake can be a profitable, if forget-table, blockbuster. So this year's Ihe Pink Panther, a bumbling and juvenile comedy loosely based on the 1963 film of the same name, did not sur-prise many critics; it was simply more disappointing than most remakes.

2006's The Pink Panther stars Steve Martin (Father of the Bride) as the bumbling Inspec-tor Jacques Clouseau. Martin plays Clouseau exactly as Peter Sellers played the inspector in the original Pink Panther. oblivious, unintelligible and slightly effeminate. It is hard to blame Martin for a lack of creativity — Clouseau's char-acter is too well-established and idiosyncratic to leave much wiggle room in the script. But something is lost in his imitation. Sellers had the privilege of being Clouseau first, s o i ' n o surprise he did it better.

Sellers made these long physical jokes entertaining if purposeless, but the remake has lost most of the CHARM.

The big joke of The Pink Panthers characterization is that Clouseau is French, and so flamboyantly French that it is funny. Martin exploits this xenophobic idea up to and past the limit: Tirelessly repeated lines such as "I zee" and "zank you" serve to establish Clouse-au's Frenchness, and the joke quickly wears thin.

The movie also makes light of Europe's penchant for small and efficient cars — Clouseau tools around in a microscopic Smart Car to a techno remix of the instantly recognizable Pink Panther theme song. Somehow the classic saxophone line does not have the same charm when layered over a drum machine.

Most of the movie takes place in Paris. Director Shawn Levy (Cheaper By the Dozen) creates a city where Tour-de-France-style bicycle races are going on at all times and people actually wear berets. It is important to remember that lampooning everything French has always been a part of Hie Pink Panther franchise. But in the 1960s, the social satire had more relevance — or at least a little more bite. France has changed, yet the producers of this year's Pink Panther remake did not bother to update their stereotypes.

levy's Pink Panther is not satisfied with ridiculing indi-vidual societies. A large amount of the movie's slapstick centers on crude sexual humor: It is too unsophisticated for adults and too risque for children.

Sexual harassment and ho-mophobia are fair game for the remake's highly sensitive and

creative director. In one scene, Clouseau slaps his secretary's derriere, and in another, Clou-seau and Ponton dance to pop

music iii skin-tight bodysuits, allowing the audience to see the actors' packages.

And the new Pink Panther has even less politically cor-rect moments . At one point, Clouseau asks a suspicious casino owner to take a look at his "big brass bowls." The casino owner starts

to remove his pants, but it is revealed that Clouseau meant to ask for his bowls and not balls — my congratulations to the writers for successfully integrat-ing both adolescent sex humor and France-bashing.

In another scene, Clouseau makes an advance toward inter-national pop star Xania. Xania is played by, well, international jx>p star Beyonce Knowles. Her oth-erwise irrelevant presence in the movie is best justified by Clou-seau himself, who comments, "Can't you see she's sexy?"

Clouseau is in the "mood for love" when Xania enters the picture, but in a valiant effort to offend every potential viewer in the audience, the film's writers throw in another unfunny twist: He loses his Viagra down the drain. Of course, an awkward disaster ensues — viewers can picture the writers being ordered to turn up the uncom-fortable physical comedy in an effort to compensate for the lack of original content. In the 1963 film, Sellers made these long physical jokes entertaining it purposeless, but the remake has lost most of the charm.

The pink panther cartoon character — which first ap-peared in the opening credits of the 1963 film and is one of the most recognizable ele-ments of the Pink Panther franchise — makes a cameo in the remake. However, like everything else, the cartoon has been "updated" to its detri-ment. A thick-outlined modern art style and the persistent r e c u r r e n c e of the techno-remixed Pink Panther theme song suck the appeal out of this empty animated throwback.

The movie's slapstick centers on crude, sexual humor: It is too unsophisticated for adults and too RISQUE for children.

I jevy's Ihe Pink Panther\stri\e and painful, an exercise in all that is wrong with remakes. It is both uncreative and offensive to good tastes; its target demographic appears to be 12-year-old boys with little resjxTt for European culture. Save the money or buy a bottle of whiskey: A good stiff drink will be necessary anyway after 90 minutes of Martin's awk-ward mimicry of Sellers.

Bryce Gray is a Jones College sophomore and assistant arts and entertainment editor.

. . I / . .

THE RICE THRESHER LIFESTYLES

LifeSt FRIDAY, MARCH 10,2006 11

Rag by Margaret Tung

V roll How to make the most of shopping at Houston thr i f t stores

Whatever your clothing budget may be, a good selection can be found outside of the expensive boutiques in the Galleria and the Rice Village. Looking for a unique costume for the next themed college party or the perfect dress? Or perhaps you don't mind digging to find something you never realized you needed - who knows when owning a sailor suit circa 1992 could come in handy? Before you set off on the rewarding adventure of thrifting in Houston, a l itt le guidance from an experienced thrift shopper can improve your experience immensely.

The Heights Value Village - Thrift 311 19th St. (713) 685-5440

Value Village is on the list not only because it is better than Savers and Salvation Army but also because it hosts half-off sales in which it slashes its dollar prices to mere change. Scenesters and emo-screamos all know where to head — straight to the kids section. This area is home to the oh-so-fitted elementary school tees and well-loved junior league uniforms. Value Village is also the perfect place to find the outfit for a college party. Be sure to pick up belts from the 1970s and 1980s in order to make any outfit discotheque-worthy.

Retropolis - Vintage 321 W. 19th St. at 19th and Rutland (713) 861-1950

Party-worthy frocks and lace skirts fill this charming shop. Some digging is required, and the prices are a little steeper because items are vintage, but the finds here are usually worth it. Most of the clothing, jewelry and ac-cessories come from the 1940s to the 1970s, and there are usually enough of-the-moment pieces to go around. Find items for special occasions here if you do not want to show up wearing the same dress as someone else.

TAYLOR JOHNSON/THRESHER

Thrift Thesaurus Ever wonder what makes some old clothes cost $0.20 and some $2,000? A great deal is determined by the quality of the clothes and whether they have been brushed by fame. Generally, different terms are given to different price ranges, depending on the origin of the clothes. So memorize these key words to avoid spen ling $100 on an old, sweaty 1 -shirt.

Thrift: Cheap and recycled; used. Think of "thrift" items as something your mom would have donated to Goodwill when she cleaned out your closet after high school graduation, which might explain why the T-shirt bearingyour middle school's logo that you found at a thrift store last week looks so familiar. Note that even if she gets a check for a load of clothes, she does not get a percentage of the retail price of the shirt.

Vintage: Applies to items that are at least 20 years old; price range can vary from a couple of quarters to a couple thousand dollars — that is, if you are in the market for a Coco Chanel dress from the 1960s.

Consignment: Items come from people who drop off their goods. As opposed to thrift goods, the seller receives a percentage of the profit when an item is sold.

Only at a thrift store like Value Village can one find trucker hats, neck ties, sweaters and white platform shoes on the same rack.

Westheimer, between Shepherd and Montrose Buffalo Exchange - Vintage, consignment 1618 Westheimer Rd. at Westheimer and Mandell (713) 523-8701

Hipsters and preps alike flock to this store to drop off their gently worn items for cash or trade. Sellers can choose to get 33 percent back in cash or 50 percent back in trade — a lax consignment deal. Peruse the denim section to find jeans from the likes of Seven for all Mankind, Rock & Republic, I rue Religion for women and Diesel for men. Skip over last season's Gap cardi-gans and Urban Outfitters tees and look for the occasional Fendi top or Mart-Jacobs blouse.

The shoe section is hit-or-miss. Sometimes a Gucci sandal or Prada loafer will be lurking behind a dusty pair of Doc Martens, but grab them last; there is probably someone behind you eyeing the same pair.

Leopard Lounge — Thrift, vintage, consignment 1637 Westheimer Rd. across from Buffalo Exchange, next to Taxi Taxi (713) 524-9100

The cash-or-trade deal works similarly at this.straight-from-the-1980s store. Decor is limited to black and red. The music blaring over the speakers is fun to some and obnoxious to others, but shoppers either do not mind or are try-ing to ignore it. The selection varies — occasionally there is an Anna Sui top from the late 1990s or a colorful vintage summer dress on the racks, but usu-ally a healthy mix of Bebe and Armani Exchange tanks can be had for less than $10.

Guys fare slightly better at this shop with band-logo tees and old Lacoste sweaters. There are also many other slogan-happy thrift tees that are worth the extra $2.

Taxi Taxi - Thrift, vintage, consignment 1653 Westheimer Rd. at Westheimer and Dunlavy (713) 528-5500

The selection at Taxi Taxi is much like that in its sister shop leopard Lounge, but it is in a much larger space. The cash-or-trade deal is the most lenient of any of the Westheimer stores; sellers get 50 percent either way. There are plenty of Members Only jackets from the 1980s for men and old faux-fur coats for women.

From $2 thrift shirts to $7 Abercrombie & Fitch polos, combing the racks can take time. Also, do not miss out on the large selection of jeans in the middle of the store, as there are often a pair or two of Diesels between some worn-in Levi's. See THRIFT, page 12

Clit curious a beginner's guide to cunnilingus

This is the first in an occasional series offering practical advice on sexual health and enjoyment. The Thresher's sex columnists are happy to answer specific questions in future columns. Send an e-mail to thresher-life@rice.edu to reach them.

Jacki Craig

LOVETT COLLEGE JUNIOR

The myth of social ineptitude at Rice is not necessarily true, despite the smart-kids-don't-get-out-much stigma. Rice students are not completely clueless, but we could all use a little help in some social arenas. I happen to be here to provide that helpful advice in a particularly sensitive area: sex. So let's get down to business. And 1 do mean get down. My first lotus blossom of wisdom covers an infamously mysterious topic: cunnilingus.

Cunnilingus, going down or eating out is oral sex performed on a female. It is the stimulation — to orgasm — of the vaginal area, and for beginners, it is best to focus on the clitoris. It is an act that takes finesse, but given a couple of guidelines, most people who were smart enough to get into Rice are smart enough to follow these fairly simple directions and become pros. Here are a few helpful tips for my hopeless male cunning linguists out there wishing to score off the intramural field.

First, know thine enemy before going into battle. Hopefully, you are in a healthy enough relationship to have at least discussed sexual histories. No one wants to wake up with a raging case of herposyphileesamydia.

But education is twofold: You must also know the vagina. Instead of playing eighth-grade science teacher, I will relegate you to the anatomy section of Fondren Library. Suffice to say if you are only 98 percent sure you know where the clitoris is, you may want to do the research.

Next, work the lips — yes, the ones right below your nose. The fastest way to get a female to orgasm is to mentally prepare her for what is about to happen with a little — or a lot — of foreplay. So compliment her. Kiss her. Take things slowly. Remember, speeding through the foreplay of oral means you will be spending a ton of time at the actual task, and that is enough to frustrate both you and your partner.

Which brings

me to my next Here are a few point: Don't be an ass. Females are sensitive, and we are all nervous when it comes to full-on contact. A million things are going through our heads — do I look OK, does he like me, do I smell funny, will he like it and so on.

There are a ton of negative stereotypes about cunnilingus in general that do not necessarily extend to oral sex performed on guys. I have had boyfriends tell me they could not or would not go down on me and then expect me to give them head. Guys, take it from me: The quickest way to get a girl to want to go down on you is to prove that you value her orgasm as much as your own.

On that note, let's get down and dirty with a few more hows. First, do not bludgeon the clitoris unless you know your partner will like iL Rapid tongue lashing, hard suction or teeth are rarely ways to make friends and influence people. Think massage: Gentle, repetitive motions are the best.

Much like fellatio, cunnilingus can be enhanced by using your hands. I do not mean to go poking around, which gels really uncomfortable. Try gently stroking her thighs — but I cannot impress on you how important it is to refrain from being overzealous and getting rough. If your girl wants you to play harder, she should ask; if you are unsure of your boundaries, ask her. If you are doing well, she will not be able to answer.

In general, listening to her will get you both far. Moans are good, whereas shrieks that bring to mind cats in heat are probably a clue that you should stop. But above all, practice makes perfect. Finding someone who is willing to go down on her more often in the interest of bringing her more pleasure is every sexually healthy girl's wet dream.

helpful tips for my hopeless male CUNNING LINGUISTS out there wishing to score off the intramural field.

12 THE RICE THRESHER LIFESTYLES FRIDAY, MARCH 10,2006

Guitar Heroes just want to rock 'n' roll all night, play game every day

It's a recreation and an obsession for the ages. It takes talent, time and dedication ... or a PlayStation. It is the life of the rock star, and in the immortal words of Kiss, "If you want to be a singer or play guitar/ man, you have got to sweat or you won't get far/because it is never too late to work nine-to-five/You can take a stand, or you can compromise/ You can work real hard or just fantasize."

Hanszen College soph-omore Nick Alexander has been sweating hard for the last three years playing the guitar. He has a rugged demeanor and shaggy goatee that looks more at home at a jam fest behind his double neck guitar than hovering over his mechanical engineering problem sets. But in the past three months, he has realized that maybe fantasy is better. He finally became a guitar hero, wailing away on the newest interactive video game craze.

Basics of the some Harmonix Music Systems created the button-

mashing music-based video games Frequency and Amplitude, but the company's newest game, Guitar Hero, blows the previous two away. Guitar Hero has rock instead of techno, raving fans instead of a roller-coaster-esque background and a mini Gibson SG instead of a standard PlayStation 2 controller. What Dance Dance Revolution did for mall-dwelling nerds with fast podiatric reflexes, Guitar Hero will do for air-guitaring, greasy-faced nerds with nervous fingers.

"I first heard about Guitar Hero on a plane," Alexander said. "I was reading a gaming magazine and they had an article about Guitar Hero and I was thinking to myself, 'Man, that's either going to be totally awesome or suck hardcore.' It was totally awesome and still is totally awesome."

With a choice of eight different characters, ten different guitars, six different venues and great rock hits including Joan Jett's "I Love Rock and Roll," David Bowie's "Ziggy Stardust" and Eric Clapton's "Crossroads," any red-blooded American should be ready to salute those about to rock.

How to play While ideally you do not need any

instructions to know how to rock, Guitar Hero is pretty easy to learn anyway. Color-coordinated notes scroll down a decorated guitar neck on the video screen, matching up with the five fret buttons on the mini-guitar. Meanwhile,

the player's character dances around on stage, entertaining the crowd and

generally rocking out. To play a note,

you have to have to hold the correct fret

button, or combination of buttons for chords,

while banging away on the guitar's strum bar.

The more correct notes you get in a row, the more points you get. There are also

long notes, requiring you to hold down the

fret and giving

you the chance to wail on the whammy bar. Get precise

enough and you can build up Star Power, activated by jerking back the guitar in a rock star wail and temporarily doubling points.

The more accurate your musicianship, the higher your Rock Meter climbs and the better your crowd responds on-screen — and if you mess up too much, they will boo you off stage.

It sounds easy, and it is when you are on the Easy setting, strumming along to Boston's "More than a Feeling." But sliding four fingers on five frets during the multiple solos in Blue Oyster • Cult's "Godzilla" on Expert is nigh impossible.

Feeling the glory

Nevertheless, Alexander said he has little trouble getting through the song, his favorite.

"If only Guitar Hero were as effective as playing acoustic guitar at a party," Alexander

said mid-strum. "The chicks would be all over me."

by Evan Mintz

Then he tweaked the guitar in an aggressive act of frustration, activating Star Power mode.

"I can't talk and play at the same time," he said. "[Star Power is] for those times when I'm not as good as I thought I was.... [It] helps me get back in the groove."

But Guitar Hero is not just for guys fantasizing about being rock gods. Martel College senior Sheena Barbour has been hopped up and ready to go ever since her brother got her Guitar Hero for Christmas. With a grin reminiscent of High Fidelity's Marie DeSalle, this punk rocker has turned her living room into a discotheque A Go Go.

"I was addicted to Amplitude, and [my brother] was like, This one has a guitar controller,"' Barbour said. "As soon as I started playing Guitar Hero, I sold my real guitar."

Like dynamite with a laser beam, this rocker chick will blow your mind, anytime — especially to Killer Queen, her favorite song. And wailing away to Queen makes everyone feel like a rock star.

"They tell you 'y°ii rock' after every song," Barbour said. "And that's the most amazing personal validation ever. I rock. Over and over."

Roc kins to the beat Just as "Jukebox Hero" predicted it would, the game's

Gibson controller feels good in your hands, and it does not take long to understand. It is like having your very own Foreigner belt... except for Guitar Hero's noticeable lack of Foreigner. And Jimi Hendrix and "Stairway" and

other expected homages to guitar excellence. "[The game] could use a Lynyrd Skynyrd song,"

Alexander said. "If they come out with a sequel, i you should be able to unlock [better bonus

songs after extended play, including] the gigantic 'Freebird' solo."

While Guitar Hero's current bonus songs can be entertaining, they are mostly by obscure indie bands — so obscure that most music-hip rock gurus would only recognize half of them.

The list of popular chart-toppers and party-worthy favorites compensates for some of the absent-but-expected classics. And the multiplayer rock-off mode lets players see just who among their friends is the true rock god, without the ridiculousness and energy expense of DDR.

"Everyone looks great with a guitar," Alexander said, grinning as the game announced he had attained the final expert five-star rating.

"This is probably the biggest self-esteem booster," Alexander said.

Judging by his and Barbour's newfound sense of rock star glory, the game's only downsides are an inflated ego, potential carpal tunnel syndrome and a $70 sticker price — acceptable sacrifices to the gods of rock.

77 ieR I C COFFEEHOUSE

is now hiring!

Pick up an application from the Coffeehouse anytime we're open from Monday, March 6 until they're due

on Wednesday, March 22. Application is for Summer/Fall 2006 employment.

THRIFT From page 11

Near Rice That '70s Shop - Thrift, vintage 2202 Bissonnet at Bissonnet and Shepherd (713) 874-1970

This store is reminiscent of hot summer days and sitting on the patio with a cold glass of lemonade, and it delivers: It has all the 1970s fash-ions you can dream of, and all the prices are tagged with an amount ending in — what else — 70 cents. Wild Shaft-friendly tops and vests in the front rack greet incoming customers, while floaty summer dresses fill the racks in the back-room. Wicker-box purses and worn cowboy boots adorn the cor-ners and walls, making the store seem like a large 1970s closet.

Upscale More Than You Can Imagine - Consignment 2817 Westheimer Rd. at Westheimer and Ferndale (713) 668-8811

Expect to find dresses and suits from big-label European designers. The best items can leave the store in a few hours, while others linger for months. Prices usu-ally do not fall under $40 — still a signifi-cant discount.

Purses from Gucci, Tod's and Versace hover above the clothes. A gently worn Manolo Blahnik or two has been seen among the array of shoes. On the last trip, a black Dolce & Gabbana dress with an open-V back and cinching belt was spotted for about $100.

Cheap Thrills Baker College

junior Connemara Courtney shares her

second-hand threads

The Shady Tavern

1980s leather jacket Value Village

7 jeans Buffalo Exchange

wedge sandals Urban Outfitters

THE RICE THRESHER LIFESTYLES FRIDAY, MARCH 10, 2006 13

Florida-based franchise freshens chicken by Janine Moreau

The newest addition to the Rice Village, Chicken Kitchen, offers inventive, healthy dishes that — unlike the preparations at many campus serveries — make chicken appealing. It has become the new favorite place of many villagers for a quick and healthy lunch, and it is another notch on the Jones School's belt of local success stories.

Chicken Kitchen

2516 Rice Blvd. between Kelvin Drive and Kirby Road (713) 523-2323

Students presenting a Rice ID wil l receive 10 percent off purchases.

The franchise opened in mid-February under the guidance of Luis Miguel ( M . B A '05), An dres Poma ( M . B A '05) and busi-ness graduate student Federico Muyshondt.

Chicken Kitchen began in Mi-ami, Fla., where there are now more than 35 locations. Miguel, who is president of Chicken Kitchen Houston, lived in Miami for several years and said he fell

in love with its healthy alterna-tives to fast food. The restaurant serves the bird grilled, rotisserie-style or baked, with minimal use of fat for cooking.

Miguel said he was motivated to pursue a Houston franchise of his favorite restaurant because he had trouble finding healthy, quick and affordable food near the Rice area. He hopes to open at least 20 Houston franchises of the res-taurant within the next six years.

Chicken Kitchen's unique sig-

The Thresher's recommendat ions for Chicken Kitchen first-timers:

Original Chop-Chop: $4.79 freshly grilled chopped chicken breast served over yellow rice and your choice of signature sauce

Signature Wrapito: $5.79 freshly grilled boneless breast served with yellow rice, le t tuce , tomatoes , salsa or Mustard ' n ' Curry sauce in a tortilla

Chopped Salads

Fresh Side Orders including plantains, mashed pota toes and chicken soup

nature dish is already intriguing the taste buds of Rice students and other Houstonians, so Miguel's goal could be well within reach. The Chop-Chop bowl, which ac-counts for 70 percent of Chicken Kitchen's national sales, consists of freshly marinated chicken chopped into a bowl and served over a bed of rice or greens.

The original Chop-Chop mim-ics the simple wholesomeness of a home-cooked chicken-and-rice dinner, while some of the more exotic varieties — such as the Cu-ban, Mexican and Teriyaki Chop-Chop bowls — sport complex arrangements of vegetables and sauces. Customers can order the bowls in either regular portions, which cost $4.29-6.29, or large sizes, which cost $6.29-8.99.

While the Chop-Chop Bowl is Chicken Kitchen's most popular dish, the restaurant 's real appeal lies in a condiment: its mustard cur ry sauce. The deliciously ad-dictive concoction flavors many of Chicken Kitchen's sandwiches and salads and some of its Chop-Chop dishes.

Many lunchtime restaurants in the Village can be a bit pricy for a student 's budget or a touch too greasy after a full week of servery food, Chicken Kitchen is filling, cheap and healthy, and it does not sacrifice taste to meet these goals.

ini

MARSHALL ROBINSON/THRESHER

Top: Chicken Kitchen serves fresh chicken dishes affordably and in short order. Above: This quarter-chicken and two-side meal costs $6.35.

Exploring the METRORail: Ensemble/HCC by Jennifer Quereau

In a cont inuing explora t ion of t h e e n t e r t a i n m e n t possibil i t ies a f f o r d e d by Houston 's METRORail t r a n s p o r t a t i o n sys tem, t h e following reviews focus on t h e a r e a surrounding t h e Ensemble/HCC s top .

1. The Breakfast Klub This community brunch spot is popular,

so real breakfast here might require a wait in line. Luckily, the line shor tens closer to the closing time — and college-student brunch time — of 2 p.m. Most of the en-trees follow a heavy-but-delicious tradition of comforting, if a little idiosyncratic, soul food, including pork chops with eggs and wings with waffles. Hie Klub also has sal-ads and sandwiches for a less greasy al-ternative. However, owner Marcus Davis does not restrict the term "soul food" to the cuisine. Davis consciously tries to "feed the community's spirit" by hosting neighbor-hood group meetings and exuding a family-friendly, palpable energy.

2. Midtown Farmers Market On Saturdays from 8 a.m.-12 p.m., the

Midtown Farmer 's Market is an afford-able place to find locally grown and organic produce, flowers, artisanal chocolates, pas-tries, fair trade coffee and meals to go. It is held behind Monica Pope's Taf ia , a re-nowned coastal Mediterranean restaurant that frequently highlights specials from the farmers ' market on its menu.

3. The Cont inenta l Club Unless you are actually doing homework

on a Friday night, there seems to be a weird lull between dinner and going out. This is the perfect time for a free happy hour show by Molly and the Ringwalds at the Continen-tal Club. The awesome 1980s cover band played at Sid's '80s party last semester, and they emanate the same infectious energy at this 21-and-up venue every Friday from 7-9:30 p.m. They also do their own karaoke, so audience members can get up on stage and sing with the band. The club has two pool tables and a shuffleboard table amid tons of retro signage in its back room.

4. Sig's Lagoon Record Shop Before or after the show at the Conti-

nental Club, music lovers can browse next door at Sig's Lagoon — a record store, gift shop, art gallery and vintage boutique.

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The Mink 3718 Main St. (713) 822-9985

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Winbern

Alabama

Truxillo

Sig's has grandma's funkiest jewelry, Mo-town singles on vinyl, Cap'n Crunch action figures and DVDs of Bettie Page.

5. The Mink Even though this bar is far too casual

for fur, the Mink aims to be approachably swanky with sleek furniture, fancy specials like apple kamikazes and a live disc jockey spinning for a candlelit dance floor upstairs. But the eclectic atmosphere hides behind the Mink's tiny facade. The front-facing room is the smallest of the several rooms this venue offers. To get to the dance floor and the sexy, dimly lit nooks tucked throughout, go through the front to an alley in the back. Around the corner to the It ft, the bar sud-denly quadruples in size. Tuesday night's sj>ecial wines are $10-12 per bottle.

6. The Big Top Lounge While the Continental Club charg-

es cover for its later shows, the Big Top — also the proper ty of Continental Club owner Steve Wertheimer — has free live music on Friday nights. It also has foosball, Pac-Man and beer on other nights of the week. Once visitors step through the wide doors, the dreary midtown neighborhood outside dissolves into a stop on Route 66, with taxidermy and the classic Wild West Girl painting on the wall. But its toystore past also at-tracts an eclectic crowd, and this kitschy bar exudes honky-tonk circus vibes sans the xenophobia. Unfortunately, the beer prices — $3 for Bud Light — undermine the casual a tmosphere , but the Big Top's charm compensa tes for the tab.

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rice.edu

Page 14 THE RICE THRESHER Friday, March 10, 2006

Errors plague Owls in losses to Titans, Longhorns by Matt McCabe

THRESHER EDITORIAL STAFF

The baseball team's streak of losses to 21st-ranked University of Texas is now at eight games after Tuesday's 9-5 defeat. However, Rice took two of three games from No. 7 Cal State Fullerton Univer-sity over the weekend. The third-ranked Owls committed a season-high five errors against UT following a four-error perfor-mance against Fullerton in the Sunday finale, a 15-4 loss.

"Everybody can have a bad game, and we did," head coach Wayne Graham said. T h e s e guys have all proven that they can handle adversity. We're in the midst of a little adversity."

Rice (13-4) will aim to end its first two-game losing skid of the year at the Whataburger College Classic this weekend in Corpus Christi. The Owls open the tour-nament with familiar foe Texas Christian University today at 2:30 p.m. TCU (8-7) also enters the tournament having lost two straight, dropping games to Oklahoma and Florida Atlantic. The Horned Frogs will toss ace Jake Arrieta at the Owls, who enters the game with an undefeated 4-0 record and a 1.37 earned run average. Rice will counter with senior right-hander Eddie Degerman, who has been dominant in his five appear-ances, striking out 42 in 30 innings with an ERA of 0.90.

The Owls will send sophomore left-hander/f irst baseman Joe Savery to the mound Saturday against Arizona State University (14-5), which is ranked 17th nationally. The Sun Devils will throw their ace — Jeff Urlaub, who is undefeated on the year with four wins and a 1.93 ERA. Arizona State enters the Whataburger College Classic on a four-game winning streak, including a three-game sweep of Auburn University, in which the Sun Devils outscored the Tigers 34-6.

Degerman's 12-to-6 breaking ball and

MNSON^RESHER

Sophomore catcher Danny Lehmann watches UT's Chance Wheeless score a run in the seventh inning of Rice's 9-5 loss to UT Tuesday. The Longhorns have won their last eight games against the Owls, who took two out of three in their series against No. 7 Cal State Fullerton last weekend. Rice will face No. 17 Arizona State, TCU and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi as part of the Whataburger College Classic in Corpus Christi. this weekend.

Savery's left-handed power pitching make them effective against left-handed batters.

"We may not win the games, but Deger-man is a good match for TCU and Joe is a good matchup for Arizona State because both teams are loaded with left-handed hitters," Graham said.

Rice will round out the tournament with Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi (9-8), a team the Owls beat 6-4 Feb. 28. With sopho-more right-hander Bobby Bell still hampered by a shoulder injury, the Owls will probably

pitch by committee Sunday, as they did last Sunday against Fullerton.

"We're going to have to find some more pitching somewhere," Graham said. "I think the guys can do it if they just focus on making good pitches."

After losing a heart-breaking game to UT at Minute Maid Park Feb. 11, the Owls wanted revenge but were unable to execute in Tuesday's loss. UT used 12 hits and 5 walks to lead the game from start to finish. Junior right-hander Craig Crow took the

loss, surrendering five hits and two runs in 2.2 innings. However, he was also hindered by errors.

"We didn't play behind him," Graham said. "I thought he was behind in the count a lot, and when he was ahead in the count he didn't make the pitches that he usually makes."

The bright spot in Tuesday's game was freshman right-hander/infielder Trey Sper-ring, who saw his first appearance on the

See BASEBALL, page 16

Men's basketball falls to SMU in C-USA tourney

by Chris Pasich THRESHER STAFF

Just four days after defeating Southern Methodist University in a 68-66 thriller in its regular-season finale Saturday, the men's basketball team ended its season in the first round of the Conference USA tournament with a 61-59 loss to those same Mustangs.

Wednesday's loss marked yet another game in which junior guard Morris Almond was the only effec-tive option for the Owls offensively. Almond scored 28 points on 12-17 shooting, and senior forward J.R. Harrison added 13 points in his final game at Rice, but no other Owl had more than 5 points.

Rice was out-rebounded 42-30 and allowed SMU to shoot 46.6 per-cent from the field. The Mustangs'

21 turnovers kept the game close, although the Owls' last lead in the game came with 13:32 remaining in the first half. Freshman Cory Pflieger tied the game on a three-pointer with about six minutes remaining, but Rice could never regain the lead.

Entering the game, the Owls knew they were in for a struggle against the Mustangs, given the teams' previous two meetings this season. Rice lost at SMU 80-69 in overtime Jan. 21 and came back from an eight-point deficit in the final eight minutes in Saturday's rematch.

In Saturday's game, Almond led the Owls with a career-high 40 points and a game-high 9 re-bounds. It was the first 40-point game by an Owl since Ricky Pierce,

See BASKETBALL, page 17

Women's tennis improves to 5-0 at home by Adriene Giese

THRESHER STAFF

The women's tennis team snapped a five-match losing streak last weekend, beating Texas State University 7-0 Satur-day and the University of Texas-Arlington 5-2 Sunday to improve its home record to 5-0. No. 72 Rice will take on Columbia University and No. 70 Sacramento State University at Jake Hess Tennis Stadium Thursday and Friday, respectively.

Freshman Family Braid said she believes Rice can be com-petitive against with any team it faces.

"I see us neck-and-neck with the top players," Braid said. "There is really no difference in ability level. It just comes down to a few moments in the match where [you need] to finish a point.

Every single team that we have played — from [No. 15J Georgia Tech to [No. 33] Mississippi State — we have been able to compete with, and I feel no differently about the teams that we still have to play on our schedule."

'Wefeel much more confident at home, especially since we are undefeated on our home court.'

— Emily Braid Freshman

Columbia enters the weekend with a four-match winning streak and a 4-2 record. The Lions are

not ranked and have not played a ranked team since losing to then-56th-ranked Boston College 5-2 Feb. 4.

Head coach Roger White said the Owls have a good chance to beat the lions.

"Columbia has the strongest team [I think they] have ever [had]," White said. "Most of their players are ranked around [the top] 100 in the nation, but player-to-player I think that we have a stronger lineup."

Sacramento State has been s u c c e s s f u l aga ins t r anked schools this season, narrowly losing to then-No. 9 Harvard 4-3 Feb. 12 and beating then-No. 46 University of San Diego 5-2 in its season opener Feb. 5. White said the more exper ienced Hornets will pose a threat to the Owls.

See TENNIS, page 17

W L 0 0 K - THE W E E K IN S P O R T S Friday 3/10

Saturday 3/11

2:30 p.m.

11:00 a.m. 5:30 p.m.

2:30 p.m.

7 p.m.

Sunday 3/12

Tuesday 3/14

Wednesday 3/15 7 p.m.

Thursday 3/16 10 a.m.

Friday 3/17 1:30 p.m.

Baseball vs. TCU (Corpus Christi) Part of Whataburger College Classic

Men's Tennis vs. Minnesota (Jake Hess Tennis Stadium)

Baseball vs. Arizona State (Corpus Christi)

Baseball vs. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (Corpus Christi)

Baseball vs. San Diego (Reckling Park)

Baseball vs. Sam Houston State (Huntsvllle)

Women's Tennis vs. Columbia (Jake Hess Tennis Stadium)

Women's Tennis vs. Sacremento State (Jake Hess Tennis Stadium)

The C-USA women's basket-ball final was one of the more painful games I've watched in a while. Rice did everything it could possibly do lo lose to aTulsa team it had annhilated two weeks ago. There were too many turnovers, too many missed jumpers, too many wide open shots passed up and so on and so forth. These were not the same Owls I saw win 10 of their previous 11 games.

What hurt me most was that

Tulsa looked just as bad as Rice did. The Golden Hurricane shot a dreadful 29 percent from the field and could not defend at all. The Owls could have blown this team out of the water if they played anything like they had the past couple of months.

Next year, Rice will be back in this position, and hopefully the Owls won't back dowr; f o m the challenge.

— Stephen Whitfield

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THE RICE THRESHER SPORTS FRIDAY. MARCH 10,2006

" ***•' - • • . • •- .. .

15

Tulsa stops women's basketball in C-USA championship Owls await Monday's WNIT selections after three-point loss, could host early-round game

by Amber Obermeyer THRESHKR EDITORIAL STAFF

Twice, the University o fTu l sa appeared to have pulled away f rom t h e w o m e n ' s baske tba l l team late in Sunday's Conference USA championship game. And twice, senior guard Amber Cun-ningham hit a three-pointer to br ing the Owls within four points and change the momentum.

'The turnovers weren't because they had this great pressure that we were overwhelmed with.... We were just making poor decisions.' — Greg Williams (Hanszen '70) Head women's basketball coach

After these heroics — as well as a last-second three-pointer to bring Rice (17-13, 11-5 C-USA) within one point as time expired in the first half — head coach Greg Williams (Hanszen 70) drew up a play to get Cunningham the ball when the Owls were down three points with six seconds remain-ing in the game. Cunningham got the ball in the left co rne r but was gua rded closely because Tulsa (25-5, 13-3) had s u c c e s s f u l l y switched de fenders af ter an Owl screen. Yet Cunningham made a smooth, one-dribble move to h e r right and had a clear look for the shot — which came up about half an inch shor t .

"She rose to the occasion, and 1 give her all the credit in the world for doing that," Williams said. "I was very proud of he r for having the courage to take that last shot , and she made a great individual ef for t to get it off, because Tulsa defended the play well."

Tulsa's55-52win in the champion-

ship game of the tournament, held last weekend at Southern Methodist University's Moody Coliseum, gave the Golden Hurricane their first-ever NCAA tournament berth.

Rice's bes t chance to win the g a m e probably came 20 seconds earlier, when a block and rebound by junior forward Lauren Neaves gave the Owls the ball, trailing by just two points. Neaves made an outlet pass to Cunningham at mid-court, and Williams elected not to call a t imeout.

"We had them back on their heels in transition, and that 's why I decided to let it play out — we had been ge t t ing some pretty good looks in transition," Wil-liams said. "If we call a timeout, then we have to run a set play against their zone. If we had to do it all over, I'd let them make the play again."

But Rice was not able to capi-talize on the advantage, instead turn ing the ball over for the 23rd time. T h e Owls only have eight heal thy, e x p e r i e n c e d p layers , and Williams said he th inks the tu rnovers were partly a result of the tou rnament format, in which t e a m s play the q u a r t e r f i n a l s , semifinals and finals on consecu-tive days.

"The turnovers weren't because they had this great pressure that we were overwhelmed with, which has happened before," Williams said. "Most of them were unforced turnovers where we were just mak-ing poor decisions. Part of that was just the mental, physical and emotional fatigue that you have when you have to play three games in three days."

T h e Owls c o n t i n u e d t he i r good defense against the Golden Hurricane, holding them to just 29 percent shooting, but Rice was never in sync offensively. Tulsa's zone meant the Golden Hurricane had more defenders inside against Neaves, who had averaged 32.5 points in the Owls'quarterfinal and semifinal victories.

"Tulsa 's de fense was really outstanding," Neaves said. "They were constantly pressur ing the

Senior guard Latrlce Elder sets up for a pass during Rice's 78-62 win over Tulsa March 19. The Owls will probably receive a bid to the WNIT, which will announce its selections Monday.

ball and [getting] h a n d s up on shots . The combination of fatigue and T u l s a ' s d e f e n s e b r o u g h t down our shooting percentage , but I think we were also a little n e r v o u s . We w e r e n ' t m o v i n g the ball as much as we usually do — we were kind of s tanding around, waiting for somebody to do something."

To get to the championship game, Rice first had to defeat the University of Houston (12-17, 8-8), the only team to beat the Owls twice this year, and host SMU (16-14, 10-6). Five of the Owls' top eight g u a r d s last weekend have been out of the lineup due to injury for the last two months, and Neaves said it was helpful to play UH while the team was fresher.

4 We weren't moving the hall as much as we usually do — we were kind of standing around, waiting for somebody to do something.'

— I-auren Neaves Junior forward

"We had the losses to UH in the back of our mind, but we also knew that it's really hard to beat a good team three times," Neaves said. "We were pumped up for that game, and we were more rested because we had the whole week to prepare . We just played our typical team g a m e against UH."

Rice was ahead for the last 30 minutes of the game, leading by as many as 23 points, and had 22 assists on 28 baskets in the 79-64 victory. That win set up a game against SMU, which had defeated the Owls at Moody Coliseum in January. On Saturday, though, the Mustangs had no answer for Neaves, who scored a career-high 36 points on 15-21 shoot ing to carry Rice to a 57-52 win. Tulsa, meanwhile ,cruised to 17-and 13-point victories over East Carolina (17-12, 8-8) and Southern Miss (14-16, 10-6), respectively.

"We had the harder road to get there — having to play Houston, who beat us twice, and having to play SMU on their home court ," Neaves said. "But that 's not an excuse for why we lost."

Despite the loss to Tulsa, Wil-liams said he was proud of the way the team rebounded after that January loss to SMU, when the Owls fell to 2-4 in C-USA and 6-11 overall. Williams said, at that point, he did not think it was pos-sible for Rice to come so close to a conference title.

"I would have said, '1 would like to recommend a very good psychologist for you,"' Williams said. "Or, 'Go over to Willy's Pub and have another one on me. '"

P o s t s e a s o n c h a n c e s As of Wednesday, the Owls had

an RPI of 81 according to espn.com, leaving them in good position for a bid to the 40-team Women's Na-tional Invitation Tournament after the 64 NCAA tournament teams are chosen. Both tournaments will make their selections Monday, and opening-round WN IT games could be played as early as Wednesday.

All WNIT games are played on the campuses of participating schools, ;uid Williams said Senior Asstx-iate Athletic Director Steve Moniaci told him Rice has a good chance to host an early-round game.

"I think we're a really strong candidate for the WNI T," Williams

Senior forward Catherine DuPont reaches for a shot during Rice's 78-62 win against Tulsa March 19. The Owls fell to Tulsa 55-52 in the C-USA championship game Sunday after wins against UH in the quarterfinals and SMU in the semifinals.

said. "I felt like if we got to the fi-nals of the tournament, that would solidify it. We did finish second, we had a nine-game winning streak, we beat SMU on their home court and we played an extremely competi-tive game against our conference champions."

The attitude going into the WNIT is much more important than I it is ] going to the NCAAs, because some teams aren V excited.'

— Williams

Despite theclose loss and disap-pointment about missing a chance to go to the NCAA tournament for the third time in seven years, Wil-liams said he thinks playing in the WNI T would be good experience for the young team.

"Our s e n i o r s still want to

play basketball ," Williams said. "They're going to set the tone for our at t i tude — the att i tude going into the WNIT is much more important than [it is] going to the NCAAs, because some teams aren't excited."

Neaves said she is looking for-ward to a potential WNIT bid.

"I think everybody definitely wants to end the season on a differ-ent note — not with the Tulsa loss," Neaves said. "If we're going to lose, we'd rather lose playing our game against a better team, not from shoot-ing ourselves in the foot."

Williams said senior guard Ro-syland Jeffries, who has not played since Jan. 13 after injuring her shoulder in a car accident, might be able to return in the WNIT.

"She 's continuing to rehab." Will iams said. "She was fitted for a special brace in hopes of being able to play in the confer-ence tournament , but it was just prohibitive — it didn't give he r enough movement and flexibil-ity to be able to shoot the ball. I don't know if next week will be enough time, but if it is, she would help us."

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1HE RICE THRESHER SPORTS FRIDAY, MARCH 10,2006

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Jones, Lovett make flag playoffs Martel, Sid will represent Monday League in semifinals

by Matt McCabe THRESHER EDITORIAL STAFF

With Sid Richardson (2-1) and Martel (3-0) already representing the Monday League in the men's flag football playoffs, last week's Friday League games decided its playoff teams. Wiess (2-2) handed Lovett (3-1) its only loss of the season with a 20-6 win Friday. Brown (1-3) lost twice, falling 21-0 to Jones (3-1) before narrowly losing to Hanszen (1-3) by a 21-20 margin.

CouEfiE SPORTS

ROUNDUP

Monday's game between Jones and Wiess decided the final play-off spot in the Friday League. In a game that was closer than the final score would indicate, Jones defeated Wiess 27-13 to finish second in the division.

Coed flag football The final for coed flag football

is set, and both members come from the same division, the Grey League. With a 16-0 shutout of Wi-ess (3-2), Martel (5-0) advanced to the final, where it will play Sid (4-1) which knocked off previ-ously undefeated Jones (4-1) by a 9-0 score Wednesday. Martel beat Sid 10-7 in the regular season.

Women's soccer With a 2-0 win over Will Rice

(0-3-1), Brown (3-1) earned a playoff berth and will square off with Sunday League champion

Sid (3-0) in the semifinals March 26. In a game without playoff implications, Jones (2-2) kept Martel (0-3-1) winless with a 4-0 shutout.

GSA (5-0), by virtue of its 2-1 semifinal win over Sunday League runner-up Lovett (1-2-1), has earned a spot in the final and will await the winner of Brown and Sid's playoff game.

Women's volleyball Brown (3-1), which had already

clinched a playoff spot in the Mon-day League, forfeited to Hanszen (1-3) Monday. And Will Rice (2-2) evened its record with a straight-set win over Hanszen. GSA (3-1) claimed the second playoff spot in the Monday League with a three-set victory over Jones (1-3), including a third-set shutout.

Baker (3-0) completed a season sweep of the Tuesday League with a three-set win over Sid (2-1), but both will represent the league in the playoffs.

Open floor hockey The Thursday League opened

play with a rout, as Jones toppled Martel 10-0 March 2. Brown de-feated Will Rice by forfeit.

In the Wednesday League, Lovett (2-0) was a 5-0 winner over Sid (0-2), and defending champion GSA (2-0) beat Baker (0-2) convincingly.

Men's softball In a low scoring affair March

2, Sid (2-1) recorded a 4-2 victory over GSA (2-2) in Wednesday League action. The Sunday League produced an easy 11-4 win for Brown (1-1) over Jones (1-1)

and a hotly contested slugfest between Hanszen (2-0) and Lovett (0-2) — Hanszen squeaked out the victory, 12-11.

Sid won by forfeit over Baker (0-3), putting Sid in the driver's seat for the playoffs if it can beat Wiess next week. GSA split its games Wednesday, winning in a 12-2 landslide over Wiess and then falling to undefeated Will Rice (3-0) by a 9-5 score.

Women's softball By virtue of three forfeits Sat-

urday, the playoff teams for the Cactus League were cemented. Martel (1-3) forfeited to Jones (2-2) and Lovett (3-1), giving Lovett the final playoff spot in the league. In the day's final matchup, GSA (4-0) completed a perfect regular season with a forfeit win against Brown (0-4).

Grapefruit League runner-up Will Rice (2-1) will face GSA, and defending champion Hanszen (3-0), the Grapefruit League champion, will play Lovett (3-1).

Men's soccer Brown (2-1-1) replayed two

of its games after using a com-munity associate — who cannot play college sports — in earlier games. But Brown was rewarded for its perseverance when it tied Wiess (2-1-1) Wednesday. Brown advances to the playoffs on point differential as the second representative from the Premier Division. Brown will face the Championship Division cham-pion Jones (4-0) in the semifinals. In the other semifinal, Premier Division champion GSA (3-1) will play Sid (3-1) March 26.

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S P 0 R T S N 0 T E B 0 Q K

Golf takes ninth at Louisiana Classics

The golf team finished ninth at the Louisiana Classics, held Monday through Wednesday at Oakbourne Country Club in La-fayette, La. Rice shot four-over-par 868, while the University of Houston shot an 18-undefc- 846 to win the tournament. Baylor University took second with a 17-under 847, and the Univer-sity of Memphis finished third with a six-under 858

Rice's score was its lowest of the season, edging the team's 877 from the Battle on the Bend Nov. 7-9. However, the Owls were never in contention for the team title despite shoot-ing their lowest round of the season, 287, on the first day and following with a 291 on the second day and a 290 on the third day.

Leading the charge for the Owls were senior Parker LaBarge and sophomore Ad-dison Awe, who both shot a one-over 217 and tied for 22nd place among individuals. Ju-nior Heon Young Lee ended up with a 220, tying for 39th with sophomore Jeff Krakowiak. Freshman Kyle Kelley shot 225, which was good for 56th.

Next weekend, the golf team will head to play in the Border Olympics at Laredo CountryClub in Laredo,Texas. After that, the Owls will not play again until April 7-8, when they play in the Courtyard by Marriott Intercollegiate in Raleigh, N.C.

— Brian Mothersole

Jolares breaks Rice record in the mile

Junior Pablo Solares won the mile at the Alex Wilson Invitational in Notre Dame, Ind. Saturday, breaking a long-stand-ing Rice record in the process. Solares' time of 4 minutes, 1.87 seconds put him almost three seconds ahead of the University of Colorado's Anthony Chiulli, securing Solares a spot in the NCAA Championships, to be held March 10-11 in Fayette-ville, Ark. Solares also bested the record set by head coach Jon Warren Oones '88) exactly 19 years earlier. Solares is the second Owl to break a Rice in-door record this year — senior Ryan Walsh set the high mark in the heptathlon at the Houston Invitational Feb. 4. Solares will be the Owls' lone male represen-tative at the NCAA meet.

On the women's side, five athletes will compete in six different events. Sophomore Callie Wells qualified for nationals in the mile by run-ning a personal-best 4:43.06 at the Notre Dame meet. She will also compete in the 3,000 meters at nationals. Sopho-more Rachel Greff, who will compete in the pole vault, cleared 12 feet, 10.25 inches to place third at Notre Dame. Other national qualifiers who did not compete in Indiana last weekend are sophomore Ma-rissa Daniels and junior Kate Gorry in the 5,000 and senior Funmi Jimoh in the longjump and pentathlon.

— Stephen Whitfield

BASEBALL

I > I 5 < • ' I »'»•

From page 14

mound and pitched wen. Spcrring showed a dominating fastball in the 88-93 miles per hour range and pitched 1.2 scoreless innings. Graham said Sperring will have more chances to pitch in the future.

Junior catcher/infielder Travis Reagan played third base Sunday against Cal State Fullerton and again against UT on Tuesday. Freshman third baseman Aaron Luna was a late scratch from Saturday's game against Fullerton and has not played since due to arm soreness. Luna entered the everyday lineup in mid-Febru-ary, when junior infielder Josh Rodriguez's elbow trouble forced him into a designated hitting role and sophomore Brian Friday, who began the season at third base, moved to shortstop.

"I think Luna will be back pretty soon," Graham said. 'Travis was an all-state third baseman in high school. He can do it. He just hasn't been playing over there [for] a while."

On Sunday, the Owls dropped the final game of the three-game series to Fullerton. Rice used nine pitchers in the loss as the Titans pounded out 13 hits and were aided by 4 Owl errors and 8 walks. The silver lining of the game was the offensive output of sophomore rightfielder Chad Lembeck and Savery. Ix-mbeck was 3-5 with an RBI and Savery was 2-4 with a home run to dead center field. After a standout freshman year at the plate last season, Savery has been more human this year, although he is still second on the team with a .429 on-base percentage.

"Hitting right now has been a little frustrating," Savery said. "I credit that to me ... missing the pitches to hit. I'm a year in, and scouting reports get around the country. I feel like I'm a good hitter, but I don't think it's very

hard to get me out if you pitch me right."

Savery put the Owls in a position to win with an outstand-ing pitching performance in Saturday's 6-2 win over Fullerton. He went seven innings, allowing two runs — one of which scored on a balk — on five hits with seven strikeouts. Rodriguez, who played first base that game since Savery was pitching, broke a 2-2 deadlock in the eighth inning with a clutch two-run double. The Owls added two more runs in the inning to make the final score 6-2. The outing was Savery's longest of the year, which he at-tributed to greater efficiency.

"It's just a mindset," Savery said. "It's a commitment to not walking people. In my struggles with the running game, I can't al-low guystoget on. If they're going to get on, they're going to have to earn it by getting a base hit."

Rodriguez and the pitching staff were once again the pressure performers in Friday's matchup with Fullerton. Degerman held the Titans to just three hits while striking out nine in 7.1 innings of work. But Rice trailed 2-1 —allow-ing one unearned run — until the eighth inning, when Rodriguez led off by getting hit with a pitch. After being bunted over to second base and moving to third on a fly ball, Rodriguez scored on an infield single from Friday to make the score 2-2.

The game remained 2-2 until the bottom of the 10th inning, when Rodriguez lifted a 3-1 pitch from Titan reliever John Fstes over the left field wall to give Rice a 3-2 walk-off victory. Fstes had not allowed a run all year. Rice's relief corps were stellar in the game. Sophomore left-hander Bobby Bramhall retired the only batter he faced, and senior right-hander Bryce Cox pitched a scoreless 2.1 innings to get the win.

THE RICE THRESHER SPORTS FRIDAY, MARCH 10,2006 17

Men's tennis falls to Seminoles by Dylan Farmer

THRESHER EDITORIAL STAFF

Despi te s u f f e r i n g an ankle in jury two weeks ago agains t Middle Tennessee State, senior Robert Searle teamed with fellow senior Tony Haerle to compile a 5-1 match record en route to a second-place finish last week at the 117th Pacific Coast Doubles Championships in La Jolla, Calif. T h e two were named Conference USA players of the week for their efforts .

The Owls re turned home and lost to 35th-ranked Florida State 4-3 on Wednesday in a near upset. Tomorrow the Owls will face 44th-ranked University of Minnesota in another dual match at Jake Hess Tennis Stadium.

Minnesota is 4-7 on the year, but all seven of its losses have come against teams ranked in the top 40. The Golden Gophers ' record includes wins over 60th-ranked Texas A&M and 62nd-ranked Van-derbilt, whom the Owls defeated two weeks ago in Nashville.

Rice, which fell to 57th in the nation following last week's loss to Middle Tennessee State, is t rying to climb back up in the rankings before the C-USAChampionships, to be held April 20-23 in Tulsa, Okla.

"It's been a bit start-stop so far this year, and the longer we wait around, the harder it's going to get [to play at a high level]," Searle said. "Hopefully we'll all take care of the rest of our matches."

In California, the lOth-seeded pair of Searle and Haerle defeated five opponents on the way to the championship match, including a three-set win against Pepperdine University 's four th- ranked and top-seeded duo of Andre Bege-mann and Scott Doemer.

"Rob and Tony had a great, great weekend," assistant coach Efe Ustundag (Baker '99) said. ' T h e sad part is that this tourna-ment doesn't affect the national rankings. But it was a very good outing at a prest igious tourna-ment."

S e a r l e and H a e r l e fell to Peppe rd ine ' s f i f th-seeded Ivor Lovrak and Pedro Rico 6-4, 6-2

TENNIS From page 14

"This is the first time we have played Sacramento," White said. "I know that most of their players are ... older, so that does give them a slight advantage because of their experience. It will definitely be a challenge to play them."

The Owls' victory against Texas State marked their first win since a 4-2 victory over Mississippi State University Feb. 10. Against the Bobcats, the doubles team of sopho-mores Tiffany Lee and Christine Dao started with an easy 8-1 win at No. 3. Seniors Medeja Kgic and Amy Cao then secured the doubles point for the Owls, defeating Leja Sirola and Jana Cuccinello 8-3.

'You tend to let your guard down against teams that you are supposed to beat, but you have to go out there focused.'

— Kmily Braid Freshman

In singles play, senior Blair DiSesa shut out Texas State's Ash-ley Ellis at No. 1, giving Rice a 2-0 lead. Lgic and Braid followed with wins at No. 5 and No. 6, winning 6-2, 6-0 and 6-3,6-1, respectively; • •

DIANA YEN/THRESHER

Sophomore Ralph Knupfer returns with a forehand in Wednesday's match against Florida State. Rice lost 4-3 and will take on Minnesota Saturday at Jake Hess Tennis Stadium at 11 a.m.

in the final match. "That loss is deceptive," head

coach Ron Smarr said. "We were up 2-0 in that first set . . . . We lost the service game, and it just changed the momentum."

Agains t Middle T e n n e s s e e State, Searle and Haerle led 4-0 against the second-ranked team in the nation before Searle's injury.

"I knew [Haerle and I| were capable of [ winningl," Searle said. "We had a promising start last weekend in Tennessee before I went over on my ankle."

Against Florida State, Searle and Haerle continued their suc-cessful play, defeating Ytai Aboug-zir and Chris Westerhof at No. 1 doubles. Junior Ben Harknett and f reshman Christoph Muller won 9-8 in a t iebreaker at No. 3 to secure the doubles point for the Owls.

"We hadn't won a r iose doubles point against a good team in a long time," Ustundag said.

The Owls then took the first two s i n g l e s m a t c h e s hand i ly — Harknett and Haerle both swept their opponents in straight se ts at the No. 2 and No. 4 spots, respectively.

However, Flor ida Sta te re-sponded with straight-set wins over Muller and junior Jason Mok

at the fifth and sixth spots, cutting the Owls' lead to 3-2.

At No. 1, Searle recovered from a first-set loss with a win of his own in the second, forcing a third set. But his opponent, Abougzir, took the momentum after a ques-tionable Une-out call, and Searle dropped t h e set 6-3.

At No. 4, the deciding match of t h e day, s o p h o m o r e Ralph Knupfer won the first set and was up late in the second before Florida State's Sam Chang rallied to force a third. Knupfer took an early 3-1 lead in the decisive set, but Chang proceeded to win five straight games , giving Florida State the 4-3 victory.

"We competed hard, so it's a shame that we didn't get to see the fruits of our labor," Ustundag said. "Maybe later we'll be able to see some positives, but right now I'm just disappointed."

BASKETBALL From page 14

who played in the NBA for 16 years, scored 40 against Hawaii in 1981. No o ther Rice player s c o r e d m o r e than 7 po in t s against SMU Saturday.

"I 've seen a lot of good [games] f rom a lot of d i f ferent guys, ... but Morr i s just was in a zone," head coach Willis Wilson (Will Rice *82) said. "He had a look in his eyes — confidence. He wanted the ball, and he really made it look easy. And if you've ever played basketball , you know that it 's not easy to do."

This year, Almond broke the C-USA single-season scoring mark, putting up 21.6 points per game. He was also named to the first-team all-conference roster , the only Rice player on any of the all-conference teams.

Wilson said he hopes Al-mond can cont inue to develop next season.

" [ A l m o n d ] h a d a g r e a t year," Wilson said. "He broke the single season league in con-ference play scoring record, ... but it's not over and, for Morris, if those things become more important than winning and playing on game day then I think it's all for naught ."

Almond also led the Owls this season with 5.8 r ebounds per game. Harrison averaged 5.8 r ebounds per game also, to go along with 12.1 points, and junior guard Lorenzo Wil-liams led the team in assists with 166.

Against the Mus tangs on Saturday, the Owls were down by 10 points early in the second

half when Almond began to catch fire. At one point in the half, he had outscored SMU 17-10, including two ferocious dunks . By being aggress ive and forcing the tempo, Rice was able to overcome a me-diocre 38.5 percent shooting night. T h e Owls made 32 trips to the free throw line compared with 6 a t tempts for the Mus-tangs, thanks mostly to their aggress iveness in the lane.

By contrast , Rice was h u r t mainly by a lack of aggressive-n e s s on Wednesday, taking only four foul shots. On Sat-urday, once the Owls s tar t ing playing an up-tempo style of o f f e n s e , t hey we re able to make a run.

"I think the transition looks made all the d i f ference in the world," said Wilson. "We were able to turn up our defensive intensity, we were able to re-bound the ball a little bit bet ter and we were able to get a lot of looks in transition. I think that got SMU back on their heels."

Next year, Rice should be in good shape in C-USA. The Owls will re turn two of their top four scorers — Almond and Williams. The depar ture of senior guard Jamaal Moore and Harrison should provide more o p p o r t u n i t i e s for y o u n g e r f r o n t c o u r t p layers such as sophomore Paulius Packevi-ciusand freshman Aleks Perka, who averaged a combined 4.1 points per game this season. T h e Owls will also lose senior fo rward Jason Br idges and senior guard Arthur Culver.

Bra id sa id s t a y i n g s h a r p against the Bobcats, who have lost eight of their ten dual ma tches this spring, was difficult.

"You tend to let your guard down against teams that you are supposed to beat, but you have to go out there focused," Braid said. "I had my typical game plan and followed through for the win."

Against UT-Arlington, Rice lost the doubles point, but Lee and Dao notched their third consecutive doubles win when they defeated the Mavericks'Anete Rozkalneand Marissa Brown 8-5 at No. 3.

T h e Owls took a 2-1 lead in the dual match after Egic and Braid scored impressive back-to-back wins at the No. 5 and No. 6 singles positions. Lee then overpowered Monika Peciulionyte 6-4, 6-4 at the fourth spot to give Rice an insurmountable 4-1 lead.

At the second position, Dao pulled out a threese t victory, beat-ing Daniela Novakova 7-5, 2-6, 6-2 to give for the Owls their fifth point. She was named Conference USA women's tennis athlete of the week on Tuesday after going undefeated in singles and doubles last week.

"Most of the players feel com-fortable during a home match," Braid said. "We feel much more confident at home, especially since we are undefeated on our home court. Now we have a reputation that we have to hold up, and that will definitely give us more drive in the upcoming-matches." 1 • ' ' •

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SPORTS FRIDAY, MARCH 10,2006 THE RICE THRESHER

BY THE

march 3-8

4, Britton 2-5 0-3 4, Killings 0-2 2-2 2, Hagen CM) 1-2 1. Foster 0-2 0 0 0, Bridges 0 0 0-0 0

. 21-53 23-32 68

MEN'S BASKETBALL

SMU 8 1 RICE 5 9

Three-point goals — SMU 8-22 (Willingham 4-9, Hopkins 2-8, Pearson 1-2, Roberts 0-1, Epps 1-2), Rice 3 3 (Almond 2-4, Moore 1-1, Harrison 0-2, Foster 0-1)

Rebounds — SMU 35 (Pearson 9), Rice 39 (Almond 9)

Assists — SMU 14 (Hopkins 5), Rice 10 (Harrison, Williams 3)

Attendance — 3,068

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

BICEJfr! TULSA 55

1-6, Cobb 0-1, Davis 2-2. Colli 0-2), Rice 1-10 (Stovall 0-1, Berezhynska 0-2, Rlverin 1-3, Cunningham 0-1, Elder 0-1, Logglns 0-2)

Rebounds — SMU 35 (Shead, Gross 8), Rice 45 (Neaves 10)

Assists — SMU 9 (Davis 3). Rice 16 (Rlvf.rin 5)

Attendance — 2,077

H O U S T O N * A R I C E 7 9

March 3, 2006 — Moody Coliseum, Dallas C-USA tournament quarterfinal

Houston Rice

30 34 — 64 42 37 — 79

March 5, 2U06 — Moody Coliseum, Dallas C-USA tournament final

March 8, 2006 — FedEx Forum, Memphis, Tenn. C-USA tournament first round

Rice Tulsa

25 27 — 52 26 29 — 55

SMU Rice

27 34 — 61 22 37 — 59

Southern Methodist (13-15) Ofoegbu 2-5 0 0 4, Rackauskas 7-11 1-2 15, Willingham 1-3 2-2 4, Hopkins 0-7 OO 0, Roberts 4-8 0 0 9, Morris 3 6 OO 6, Pearson 6-13 2-2 15, Killen 4-5 OO 8, Epps OO OO 0 Totals: 27-58 5-6 6 1

Rice (12-16) Packevicius 2-5 OO 4, Moore 1-6 0-0 2, Britton 0-1 OO 0, Williams 0-8 OO 0, Almond 12-17 1-2 28, Hagen 0-0 0-0 0, Foster 1-6 2-2 5, Killings 2-4 OO 4, Pflieger 1-3 0-0 3, Harrison 6-15 OO 13 Totals: 25-65 3-4 59

Three-point goals — SMU 2-11 (Willingham 0-1, Hopkins 0-3, Roberts 1-4, Pearson 1-3), Rice 6-17 (Moore 0-1, Almond 3-4, Foster 1-5, Pflieger 1-3, Harrison 1-3)

Rebounds —' SMU 42 (Hopkins 10), Rice 30 (Almond 7)

Assists — SMU 16 (Hopkins 6), Rice 15 (Wil-liams 4)

Attendance — N/A

Rice (17-13) Stovall 5-9 0-0 11, Neaves 4 12 5-8 13, Berezhyn ska 3-9 OO 6, riverln 1-4 3-3 5, Cunningham 4 8 1-2 12, Elder 0-1 OO 0, DuPont 1-4 OO 2, Loggins 1-4 1-1 3

Totals: 19-51 10-14 52

Tulsa (25-5) Pongonis 2-10 2-4 8, Robbins614 5-717, Jaskowiak 4-11 OO 8, Mays 1-6 1-2 3, Moody 3-14 7-8 14, Idlet 1-4 1-2 3, Dreiling OO 0 0 0, Merriweather 1-3 OO 2, Wagoner 0-0 OO 0 Totals: 18-62 16-23 55 Three-point goals—Rice 4-14 (Stovall 1-3, Berezhyn-ska 0-2, Riverin 0-1, Cunningham 3-6, Elder 0-1), Tuisa 3-10 (Pongonis 2-4, Mays 0-2, Moody 1-4)

Rebounds — Rice 42 (Berezhynska 15), Tulsa 40 (Jaskowiak 11)

Assists — Rice 11 (Riverin 4), Tulsa 7 (Pongonis

2)

Houston (12-17) Fryters 1-2 OO 2, Hawkins 9-20 4 4 29, Meyers 3-8 2-2 8, Jackson 4-15 4-614, Glover 2-8 OO 6, Gibson 0-2 OO 0, Creel 2-9 0-1 4, McKinney 0-0 1-2 1 Totals: 21-64 11-15 64

Rice (16-12) Stovall 0-21-31, Neaves 11-13 7-7 29, Berezhynska 7-14 OO 14, Riverin 2-5 7-7 11, Cunningham 5-8 2-2 16, Wright OO OO 0, Elder 1-3 OO 3, DuPont 0-1 OO 0, Loggins 2-3 OO 5 Totals: 2 f r49 17-19 79

Three-point goals — UH 11-29 (Hawkins 7-14, Jackson 2-6, Glover 2-4, Gibson 0-1, Creel 0-4), Rice 6-10 (Stovall 0-2, Cunningham 4-5, Elder 1-2, Loggins 1-1)

Rebounds — UH 30 (Fryters, Jackson 9), Rice 38 (Berezhynska 13)

Assists — UH 13 (Jackson 6), Rice 22 (Riverin

8)

Attendance — N/A

BASEBALL

TEXAS 9 RICE 5

Attendance — 2,393

SMU 52 RICE 57

March 7, 2006 — Reckling Park

Texas (U -8 )

March 4, 2006 — Moody Coliseum. Dallas C-USA tournament semifinal

SMU 66 RICE 68 March 4, 2006 — Autry Court

SMU Rice

19 33 — 52 32 25 — 57

SMU Rice

31 37 — 68 32 34 — 66

Southern Methodist (12-15. 4-10) Willingham 5-12 0-0 14, Hopkins 4 1 3 2-3 14. Pearson 4-11 OO 9, Rackauskas 4-41-19, Roberts 3-7 OO 6, Morris 3-5 0-0 6, Epps 2-4 0-0 5, Fall 1-2 1 2 3. Killen 1-2 0-0 2. Ofoegbu 0-2 0-0 0 Totals: 27-62 4 6 66

R ice ( 1 2 - 1 5 , 6 -8 ) Almond 14-19 l O - l l 40 . Moore 1-6 4 4 7 , Packevi-cius 2 5 2-4 6. Harrison 1-9 2 4 4, Williams 1-5 2 2

SMU (16-14) Shead 12-21 3-3 28, Gross 1-7 0-0 3. Cobb 2 10 OO 4, Dodds 4 1 1 OO 8, Davis 2-6 1-2 7, Shepherd 0-2 OO 0. Colli 1 5 OO 2. Gates 0-3 OO 0 Totals: 22-65 4-5 52

Rice (17-12) Stovall 2-41-2 5, Neaves 15 216 9 36, Berezhynska 3-11 OO 6, Riverin 2-7 5-6 10, Cunningham 0-4 0-0 0, Elder a i OO 0, Loggins 0-7 0-0 0 Totals: 22-55 12 17 57

Three-point goals — SMU 4-17 (Shead 16 , Gross

I Rice (13-4) ABR H Bl Name (pos) AB R HBI 4 1 2 2 Henley cf 3 1 2 1 1 0 0 0 Buchanan 2b 4 1 2 1 3 1 0 0 Savery l b 4 1 1 0 4 1 1 0 Rodriguez dh 3 0 0 1 4 2 2 2 Dodson If 3 1 1 1 5 0 2 2 Lembeck rf 4 0 0 0 5 1 2 0 Lehmann c 4 0 1 0 2 1 0 0 Friday ss 4 0 1 1 5 1 0 1 Reagan 3b 3 1 1 0 4 1 3 2 Ford ph 1 0 0 0

37 9 12 9 Totals 33 5 9 5

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T N M IP H R 3 8 8 BF

Kasparek W (1-1) 6 5 3 3 1 4 24

McCulloch S (1) 3 4 2 2 0 4 12

Rice IP H R ER BBSO BF

Crow L (2-1) 2.2 5 3 2 2 2 16

McDaniel 1.2 1 1 0 1 0 8

Sperring 1.2 2 1 0 0 1 6

Cox .1 4 4 3 1 0 /

St.Clair 2.2 0 0 0 - 1 3 U

Peoples 3b Danks rf Herrerra rf

Stubbs cf Russell dh Suttle ss Kainer If Wheeless I t Clark c Lewis 2b Totals

Score by inning R H E Texas 201 101 400 — 9 12 0 Rice 010 002 200 — 5 9 5

E - - Henley (1), Buchanan (2), Reagan (2), McDaniel ( l),Sperring(l); DP — Texas 1; Rice 1; LOB — Texas 9, Rice 4; 2B — Russell (4), Kainer (6). Henley (2). Savery (5). Friday (3); 3B — Henley (2); HBP — Rus sell, Lewis', SH — Peoples (2); SF — Rodriguez (3), Dodson (2); SB — Stubbs (9).

Attendance — 5,105

r.AL ST. FULLERTON 18 RICE 4 March 5, 2006 — Reckling Park «

CSF ( 1 M ) Rice (13-3) Name (pos) ABR H Bl Name (pos) AB R H Bl Turner 2b 4 3 0 0 Henley cf 4 0 0 0 Davis ss 5 3 2 3 Buchanan 2b 3 1 1 0 Pill l b 5 2 4 2 Savery l b 4 2 2 1 Cooper dh 1 0 0 0 Rodriguez dh 3 0 0 0 Clark ph/dh 4 3 3 6 Dodson If 3 0 1 1

Dorn cf 4 1 1 0 Zornes c 4 0 0 0 Fahey ph/lf 1 0 1 0 Taylor ph 1 0 0 0

Harris 3b 3 0 1 0 Lembeck rf 5 1 3 1 McArthur 3b 3 0 0 1 Friday ss 5 0 2 1

Tripp rf 3 1 0 0 Sperring 3b 1 0 0 0 Curtis c 4 1 0 0 Ford ph 0 0 0 0 Hardman If /cf3 1 1 1 Myers pr 0 0 0 0

Reagan 3b 1 0 0 0 Totals 40151313 Totals 34 4 9 4

Score by Inning R H E CSF 040 O i l 243 — 15 13 0 Rice 0 0 0 1 0 1 2 0 0 — 4 9 4

E — Zornes 2 (2), Friday 2 (5); DP — Rice 1; LOB — CSF 9, Rice 13; 2B — Pill 2 (6), Clark (2), Lembeck (3); HR — Davis (1), Clark 2 (2), Savery (1); HBP — Turner, Hardman, Rodriguez 2, Reagan; SH — Buchanan (3); SF— Hardman (1); SB—Turner (5); CS — Pill 2 (5), Dodson (2).

Cal State Fullerton Miller W (3-1) Estes Jorgenson Pestano S (4) Rice Price L (0-1) Bramhall McDaniel Gunderson St.Clair Cooper Cox Pessa Forrest

Attendance — 3,077

IP H R ER BBSO BF 5.2 6 2 2 3 3 27 .1 2 2 2 0 0 3 .1 1 0 0 1 0 4

2.2 0 0 0 2 2 10 IP H R ER BBSO BF

1.2 2 4 1 4 3 12 3.1 2 2 1 1 3 11 1 1 0 0 1 0 6 .1 3 2 2 0 0 4 .2 0 0 0 1 1 3 0 0 2 1 1 0 2 1 2 2 1 0 0 6 .2 3 3 3 0 0 6 .1 0 0 0 0 0 1

CAL ST. FULLERTON 2 RICE 6 March 4, 2006 — Reckling Park

CSF (9-6) Name (pos) ABR Turner 2b Davis ss Pill l b Cooper dh Harris ph

Clark rf Dorn cf 4 McArthur 3b 3 Curtis c 3 Vanderhk ph 1

Turgeon If 3 Totals 31 2

Rice (13-2) H Bl Name (pos) 1 0 Henley cf 2 0 Buchanan 2b 0 0 Savery p/dh 0 0 Rodriguez l b 0 0 Dodson If 1 0 Lehmann c 1 0 Friday ss 0 0 Sperring 3b 0 0 Lembeck rf 0 0 1 0 6 0 Totals

AB R H Bl 4 1 1 0

1 1 0 1 0 0 2 2 3 O i l 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0

1, Turgeon (1).

IP H R ER BBSO BF 7.1 5 4 3 1 7 29 0 0 1 1 1 0 1 .1 2 1 1 1 0 4 .1 0 0 0 0 0 1 IP H R ER BB SO BF 7 5 2 2 3 7 27 1 0 0 0 0 2 3 1 1 0 O i l 5

(10 INNINGS) March 3, 2006 — Reckling Park

CSF (9-5 ) Name (pos) ABR Turner 2b 4 0 Davis ss Pill l b Cooper dh Dorn cf Clark rf

Tripp rf/cf Curtis c

4 1 4 1 4 0 3 0 1 0 4 0 3 0

Rice (12-2) H Bl Name (pos) 1 0 Henley cf 1 0 Buchanan 2b 0 0 Savery l b 0 0 Rodriguez dh 1 1 Dodson If/rf 0 0 Lembeck rf 0 0 Ford ph 0 0 Taylor If

3 0 0 0 4 0 1 1 3 0 2 0 0 "0 0 0 1 0 0 0

33 3 9 3

AB R HBI 3 1 1 0

0 0 0 O i l 2 3 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

McArthur 3b 4 0 0 0 Luna 3b Hardman If 4 0 0 0 Friday ss

Reagan c Myers pr Lehmann c

Total* 35 2 3 2 Totals

Score by inning R H E CSF 000 101 000 0 — 2 3 0 Rice 100 000 010 1 — 3 9 3

E — Savery (1), Luna 2 (5); DP — CSF 1; LOB — CSF 6, Rice 10; 2B — Davis (2). Henley (1), Reagan 2 (2); HR — Rodriguez (3); HBP — Henley 2, Buchanan 2, Rodriguez; SH — Dodson (3); SB — Pill (2), Dorn (5); CS — Davis (3).

Cal State Fullerton Roemer Pestano Estes L (0-1) Rice Degerman Bramhall Cox W (1-1)

Attendance — 3,541

IP H R ER BBSO BF 7 7 1 1 0 6 30

2 1 1 1 1 3 9 0 1 1 1 0 0 1 IP H R ER BBSO BF

7 .13 2 1 1 9 28 .1 0 0 0 0 0 1

2 . 1 0 0 0 2 2 9

MEN'S TENNIS

FLORIDA STATE 4 RICE 3 March 8, 2006 — Jake Hess Tennis Stadium

Score by inning R H E CSF 010 0 0 1 0 0 0 — 2 6 1 Rice 010 00104X — 6 7 1

E — Davis (3), Friday (3); DP — Rice 1; LOB — CSF 6, Rice 5; 2B — Dorn (4), Buchanan (2). Rodriguez 2 (6), Dodson (4); 3B — Clark (1); SF — Dodson

Cal State Fullerton Gagnier L (3-2) Paul Soulages Jorgenson Rice Savery Bell W (3-0) St.Clair

Attendance — 3.353

CAL ST. FULLERTON 2 RICE 3

Doubles 1. Searle/Haerle (RU) d. Abougzik/Westerhof (FSU) &6 2. Bailey/Sykut (RU) d. Gabriel/Knupfer (RU) 8-2 3. Muller/Harknett (RU) d. Sucuplra/Chang (FSU) 9S

Singles 1. Abougzir (FSU) d. Searle (RU) 7-5, 3-6, 6-3 2. Harknett (RU) d. Sucupira (FSU) 6-3, 6 4 3. Chang (FSU) d. Knupfer (RU) 4-6, 7-5, 6 3 4. Haerle (RU) d. Westerhof (FSU) 6-4, 6-2 5. Sykut (FSU) d. Muller (RU) 6 4 , 7-5 6. Cloer (FSU) d. Mok (RU) 6-4. 6-3

WOMEN'S TENNIS

TEXAS-ARLINGTON 2 RICE 5

March 4, 2006 — Jake Hess Tennis Stadium

Doubles

1. Jagosova/Novakova (UTA) d. DiSesa/Rodgers (RU) 8-5 2. Van Rooyen/Peciulionyte (UTA) d. Cao/Egic (RU) B6

3. Lee/Dao (RU) d. Rozkalne/Brown (UTA) 8-5

Singles

1. DiSesa (RU) d. Jagosova (UTA) 6 4. 6-4 2. Dao (RU) d. Novakova (UTA) 7-5, 2-6, 6-2 3. Van Rooyen (UTA) d. Rodgers (RU) 2-6. 7-5, 6-4 4. Lee (RU) d. Peciulionyte (UTA) 6 4, 6-4 5. Egic (RU) d. Rozkalne (UTA) 6-1, 6 1 6. Braid (RU) d. Pesil (UTA) 6-0, 6-3 TEXAS STATE 0 RICE 7 March 3, 2006 — Jake Hess Tennis Stadium

Doubles

1. DiSesa/Rodgers (RU) d. Ellis/Chafitz (TSU) 8-4 2. Cao/Egic (RU) d. Sirola/Cuccinello (TSU) 8-3 3. Lee/Dao (RU) d. Amo/Muller (TSU) 8-1 Singles 1. DiSesa (RU) d. Ellis (TSU) 6-0. 6-0 2. Dao (RU) d. Chaftiz (TSU) 6-3. 6 2 3. Rodgers (RU) d. Sirola (TSU) 6-3, 6 2 4. Lee (RU) d. Amo (TSU) 6-3. 6 4 5. Egic (RU) d. Muller (TSU) 6 2, 6-0 6. Braid (RU) d. Cuccinello (TSU) 6 3, 6 1

GOLF

LOUISIANA CLASSICS March 6-7, 2006 Lafayette, Louis.

- Oakbourne Country Club

Team Results (15 teams) 1. Houston 846 2. Baylor 847 3. Memphis 858 T4 Missouri 860 T4 Southern Methodist 860 6. Southeastern Louisiana 862 7. Tulsa 863 8 Kent State 867 9. Rice 868 10. Colorado 877

Rice individual results (78 players) T22. Addison Awe 217 T22. Parker LaBarge 217 T39. Heon Young Lee 220 T39. Jeff Krakowiak 220 T56. Kyle Keiley 225

These boxscores brought to you by: Spring Break! What could have been

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If so, or if you arc already fluent in an

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. i f

THE RICE THRESHER CALENDAR FRIDAY, MARCH 10,2006 19

CALENDAR mar. 10-24

FRIDAY 10 Run fast, run far

Step one: Get out of class. Step two: Vacate scholarly pursuits. Once you check out of the classroom on this beautiful day, you're out of school for nine days. Build a car, watch some concerts, travel afar, dance till your foot hurts — just go do something. For that matter, why are you even reading the calendar right now?

SATURDAY

Our weather stinks when no one is in school, their weather stinks all the time

Men's tennis takes on the University of Minnesota at 11 a.m. at Jake Hess Tennis Stadium. Expect the oppo-nents to be stunned by the sights of sunlight and people walking outside.

MONDAY 13 The final countdown

Some of you (OK, probably one of you, but 1 can still pretend) have followed my countdown to Spring Break Monday. Well kid(s), here it is: the moment you've all been waiting for. Hopefully you're reading this issue of the Thresher on a chase lounge by a pool somewhere, or over the sound of a bubbling hot tub. If other engagements kept you on campus for the break, the next few entries should help you find ways to occupy your free time. If none of the listed events appeal to you, you could always use the free time over the break to submit a few events to the calendar, or maybe just to complain. Even better would be to turn your room into a spring break diorama of sorts with a kid-die pool, frozen drinks and a truckload of sand. Put on some Jimmy Buffett music, a Hawaiian shirt and a flower lei and you may have just created absolute brilliance.

TUESDAY 44 Beat the Left Coast

Rice baseball takes on San Diego at Reckling Park today. If you're on campus, a little bit of student support would be great for the team during spring break. San Diego should prove a challenging game for the Owls — the Toreros swept UT in a sea-son-opening series this year. Coming off a 2-1 series win against Cal State-Fullerton, the Owls improved to third nationally in the Baseball America poll. The first pitch is at 7 p.m.

WEDNESDAY 45 Halftime

I regret to inform you that your spring break is already halfway over. If you haven't yet done anything you're really proud of or truly regret, start planning.

THURSDAY u Brains and backhands

The women's tennis team takes on Columbia University in a dual match at 10 a.m. at Jake Hess Tennis Stadium. Come see why the Ivy League ain't so great after all, and feel good about those acceptance letters from your high school days. The Owls are undefeated at home this year, so help them keep up the streak.

FRIDAY

Like money? Like dropping out?

You can't have it both ways for much longer. Today is the last day to withdraw from Rice and receive a tuition refund — of a paltry 10 per-cent. By now, the university has blown the rest of your money on the new signs.

And now, the West Coast ... Women's tennis plays

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Sacramento State University at 1:30 p.m. at Jake Hess Tennis Stadium. Watch out for Ahnold.

FRIDAY

SATURDAY 48 Contest

The "Too Apathetic to Exist" club hosts a sleeping contest to conclude Friday afternoon. Contestants are asked to begin sleeping at 1 a.m. Saturday and continue as long as possible. Winners receive the satisfaction of knowing you spent those hours doing absolutely nothing.

It's not marriage, but It's close

Sophomores must file a declaration of major form with the Registrar's Office by today. If you haven't met with an adviser from the depart-ment of your choosing, may we suggest this afternoon as the perfect moment for some face time. Also, bear in mind that only a very few people are going to find your decla-ration of a communications minor funny.

HOW TO SUBMIT CALENDAR ITEMS Deadline is Monday at 3 p.m. prior to Friday publication.

Submission methods: Fax: (713) 348-5238 E-mail: thresher-calendar@rice.edu Campus Mall:

Calendar Editor Thresher, MS-524

Submissions are printed on a space available basis.

SUNDAY

Last call

In remembrance of spring break 2006, let us observe a moment of silence. Thank you. Now that spring break is over, students should fin-ish trickling back inside the hedges and start preparing themselves for the final half of the spring semester.

TUESDAY

EOL RRPub

Lovett College's pub night is at Willy's Pub, of course. This is Lovett's Beer-Bike pub night, and therefore Lovett will be raising funds for Beer-Bike with its annual servant auc-tion. So head on down to the pub to bid on your favorite, or least favorite, Ia>vetteer — and drink their beer. The festivities run from 10 p.m to 2 a.m. See you there.

'Recognizing Hice University students cCecCicated to community service!

Nominate a friend, volunteer buddy, or yourself now!

Rice Student Volunteer Program (RSVP) is seeking nominations for students dedicated to long-term service projects who demonstrate compassion, sincerity, and initiative as part of RSVP's 20th anniversary celebration on Friday, March 31, 2006.

Nomina t ions arc due Friday, March 24 5:00pm and may be

submit ted by:

• ( inl ine at ht tp: / /vv\v\v.r ice.edu/rsvp (RSVP web site);

• E-mail to Cara Yirgili (cvirgili@rice.edu); o r

• Campus mail to MS-527 (RSVP).

If yon have any questions ph ase contact Cam I irgiH (mrgili(cv,rice, edu)

or Ed Chart (riceboi(a) rice.edu), Co-Chairpersons of RVl P, or A f j r Criswold (713-348-6 J63), Director of the C ommunity Involvement

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20 THE RICE THRESHER BACKPAGE FRIDAY, MARCH 10,2006

e P P ' THE THR HOLLYWOOD

- >,• . ^ ~ fc

T K f

f The

a a

Evan finally

finds a religion he can

get along with. His e-meter

is off the charts!

N

West Coast Misclass

"You've got to hook up with some chick. Well, not hook up, but get to the point where if you wanted to, you could." "You mean get her really drunk." — Evan tries to help Beko out with the ladies

Evan speeds

to the air-port. See,

hybrid cars can go faster than 35 miles

per hour.

Matt-O, Beko, Marshall, Julia and Evan spent four days and three nights at a college newspaper

convention In Los Angeles. Conclusion?

Top 10 list of why LA. sucks: 10. Other newspapers 9. Debutantes 8. Annoying girls who throw up In

the back of the airport shuttle 7. Major In page design — WTF? 6. Never getting a Job, ever 5. No wireless 4. No car and no mass transit 3. Hot tub closes at 8 2. $10 muffin for breakfast 1. Not New York City

\ (

Alas, even the tasty goodness of an In-n-Out double-double animal-style cannot cheer up Marshall. What's the matter? Hipster scarf too tight? Come on, stiff upper lip.

mKKfmnfim

Marshall sticks it to Starbucks.

Yay indie coffee.

Fight the man. They

didn't give us a dollar off for being Thresher

staff, though.

Uh-Oh! L o o k s like Julia gave in to Kabbalah. Just don't give her the evil eye or she will total-ly freak. Damn you Hollywood religions!

"Look, Pee Wee Herman's star. You should masturbate right here." —Anonymous woman asks Evan to practice what he preaches

"Man, if they have velociraptor penises I would just die." — What Evan thinks of a sex museum

Evan seems to be enjoying the local cuisine. Oh,

In-n-Out Burger, it's like we're characters

on the OC. Well, Evan is a nerdy

Jewish boy whose ex-girlfriends

often become lesbians.

"You're not drunk, you're just underdrinking!" — The University of Minnesota,

demonstrating how they earned their third place award

Hmm A

Marshall is bored while

Evan experienc-es the ecstasy

that is cotton candy. If there is

any good in the world, it is

cotton candy.

"He is by far the most bonable of my writers.'

—Julia reveals her method for placing articles.

Shortly after Beko took

this picture, Marshall suffered a severe

roundhouse kick to

the head. He is now pregnant

with Chuck Norris' child.

Julia finds her soul mate: some hobo who asked us if he could bum some pot. Alas, his pipe was empty with nary a bud. Welcome to California.

CLASSIFIEDS classifieds@rice.edu (713) 348-3974

HELP WANTED

BARTENDERS WANTED! $250 per day potential. No experience necessary. Training provided. Age 18+ OK. (800) 965-6520 ext. 289

RICE AREA FAMILY looking for a babysitter 2 afternoons a week (3 to 6 p.m.) to help with 3 year old and 4 month old. Walking distance from Campus- near Holcombe and Green-briar. Please call (713) 660-9084.

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WESTU FAMILY seeking responsible individual for After School Care of 10 yearoldson. M-F2:45-5:45p.m. Extra hours available. Pick up from school, help w/homework, drive to activities, entertain. Pay negotiable. Start- April 2006. (713) 304-1074.

EARN $1,000-5,000 PER week in your own prestigious home-based business. Top notch products being sold in 30+ countries worldwide by doctors, students, attorneys, etc. Not MLM. Call (800) 596-0135 for free CD.

A F T E R N O O N BABYSITTER NEEDED for two e l emen ta ry s c h o o l - a g e d c h i l d r e n (in M e m o r i a l a r e a ) . M u s t be responsible, friendly, outgoing, and experienced. Responsibilities: driving children to after-school activities, helping with homework, and some errand-running. Pay negotiable. Greer Mendelow (713) 302-0174.

MISCELLANEOUS

RICE RINGS. Undergrads: once you have 90 hours, you can order your class ring anytime at the campus store. I deposit required .Jones School students: you can order a ring anytime during your 2nd year.

THE ONE PROPHESIED by the major world religions will soon be seen by everyone. He'll come across as a teacher in the broadest sense of the word. He is not about Religion. www.Share-International.org.

E I G H T DAY ITALY p o e t r y w o r k s h o p s t a r t s May 28 in V i t o r c h i a n o . $1,500 i n c l u d e s hotel, all meals, Rome roundtrip, f o u r e x c u r s i o n s ( V i t e r b o , Orvie to , Garden of Mons ters , Villa Lante), six workshop sessions. Randall Watson taught ten years at U of H highly ranked Creative Writing Program. Fabulous Etruria, und i scove red by non-I ta l ians , unbelievably beautiful. Cultivated non-workshop travelers welcomed, $1,200. F u r t h e r i n fo rma t ion e-mail Weinberger Associates at Ruellia@aol. com.

RFC YC LE TH E TI1RES11FR. Please recycle this newspaper when you've finished reading it. Keep our cam-pus clean and neat!

PICK UP YOUR YEARBOOK Cam-paniles are available 2003-'04, 2002-•03, 2001-'02, 2000-'01 and 1999-'00. Undergraduate students are eligible to receive books for ;uiy academic year that they were registered. Get your book in the Clubs Office, 2nd floor, Ijey Student Center, M-F, 1-5.

PLAY ADULT RFC SOCCER. Coed and w o m e n ' s l e a g u e s , Sundays and Mondays, mostly West Houston. See www.hwsa.org.

HAVE A FUN and safe Spring Break. Take advantage of the chance to get some much needed sleep!

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CLASSIFIED ADS Rates are as follows:

1-35 words: $15 36-70 words: $30 71-105 words: $45

Cash, check or credit card pay-ment must accompany your ad.

Deadline is Monday at 5 p.m. prior to Friday publication.

The Rice Thresher Attn: Classifieds 6100 Main St., MS-524 Houston, TX 77005-1892

Phone: (713) 348-3974 Fax: (713) 348-5238

The Thresher reserves the right to refuse any advertising for any reason and does not take respon-sibility for the factual content of any ad.