Special Projects

Rice Webmail upgraded

Rice's Webmail received an update in May to make it faster and better able to handle the large volumes of e-mail sent to and from Rice accounts every day. Barry Ribbeck, Director for Information Technology Systems, Architecture and Infrastructure, said the update replaced old hardware and software from the Webmail interface, which could no longer accommodate Rice's increasing volume of mail. The Webmail page also got a makeover, which Ribbeck hopes will make commonly used features such as spam filters and vacation messages easier to find. Ribbeck said the update was made following student requests for faster Webmail.

Commentary: The inside scoop on cheating in sports

As I traipsed among Sydney's Royal Botanical Gardens the other day, flanked by Gray-Headed Flying Foxes and the serene Circular Quay, I decided to treat myself with a dollop of hazelnut gelato. And after I had returned to the confines of my dorm, crashing wearily into bed and flipping open my laptop to the awaiting ESPN.com, I checked out the latest musings of sports columnist Scoop Jackson.

VP selection resembles reality television

A couple of years ago, the movie American Dreamz merrily imagined a world in which a thinly disguised President Bush, attempting to boost his popularity ratings, becomes a guest judge on American Idol. Last month, something similar occurred in real life, and I think I might have been the only observer to notice it. Senator Barack Obama turned the selection of his running mate into a weird reality TV show, dropping hints, secretly naming finalists and eliminating the lowest-ranked contestants.Two days before Joseph Biden joined the Democratic ticket, CNN and other news sources reported that Obama was telephoning various important politicians to let them know "they had not been selected" to become "finalists" for the vice-presidential nomination. Meanwhile, Texas Congressman Chet Edwards was able to confirm to the media that he was a "finalist" to become Obama's vice president.

Wiess, WRC offer free O/C lunch

Living off campus can be a learning experience. Students venturing beyond the accommodating dorm situation have to suddenly deal with bills, buying groceries and preparing meals. However, Will Rice College and Wiess College are now offering to shoulder the lunchtime burden by offering free weekly meals. At Will Rice, where the program is in its third year, off-campus students are provided with free sandwiches and cookies each Friday. Wiess is pioneering a similar program, and will be offering free sandwiches to off-campus students Tuesdays for the next two weeks to gauge student interest. Will Rice Master Paula Krisko said she and her husband, Mike Wolf, started the program two years ago as part of a series of efforts to get off-campus students more involved in residential college life.

Volleyball opens with auspicious weekend

With hurricane Gustav nowhere to be seen in the West University area last weekend, the volleyball team stole a sizable share of the limelight. The Owls went home Friday night with two convincing wins over opening-day opponents University of Louisiana-Lafayette and University of Texas-San Antonio, sweeping both home matches by 3-0 scores. Unfortunately, Rice's fortune dimmed with Saturday's 3-0 loss to the University of Michigan, but the squad returned to center-stage Tuesday with a four-game win at Sam Houston State University. This weekend, the Owls were scheduled to travel to the Louisiana State University Tiger Classic in Baton Rouge, Louis., but the tournament was canceled after Gustav made landfall close by. The team will play in the Baylor Classic at Waco, Texas, instead, squaring off with host Baylor University, Weber State University and, once again, UTSA.

Don't ask, don't tell

For most Rice students, powderpuff is a unifying display of college dominance and pride, but for female varsity athletes, choosing to play is a decision that has consequences far beyond representing one's college. The game's worst kept secret asks Division-I athletes to choose between participating without the approval of their coaches or missing the chance to take part in one of the most popular aspects of college life. Without knowing how deceptive the title "powderpuff" is at Rice, many freshman athletes join the squad with good intentions.

This Week in Photos

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The Amethyst Initiative

As the federal law that has set the drinking age at 21 comes up for review next year, college and university presidents and chancellors from across the country have come together to sign the Amethyst Initiative - begun in July - which advocates an informed and unimpeded debate to see if the current policy is working. The initiative, so named because of the ancient Greek myth that amethyst would ward off the effects of drunkenness, states that the current law has created a culture of binge-drinking often conducted in secret that endangers student health and safety. The initiative currently has over 120 signatories, including presidents of some of Rice's peer institutions, such as Duke University and Dartmouth University.Although President David Leebron said he was in favor of a debate about the merits of the current drinking age, he said he did not sign the Amethyst Initiative because he felt it was advocating that the drinking age should be lowered to 18. Leebron said he needed more research and information before he could advocate that position.

Comic: Cingle Cellularity

Editorial Cartoon: What's your purity score at now

In-tents tailgating

Drink in hand, Sid Richardson College sophomore Graham Johnson gets pumped up for Rice's football game against SMU last Friday. More than 23,000 fans turned out to watch the Owls' first game of the year.

Free O.C. student lunches a good idea

If you're an off-campus student, food is a big deal. Most off-campus students aren't masters in the kitchen, and their main recipes are easily made, pre-packaged, sometimes tasteless food. And who has an hour or even thirty minutes to prepare a meal? Many off-campus students resort to microwavable cuisines or a meal at a restaurant or deli. It can get to be expensive.But Will Rice and Wiess Colleges have a solution: offer free lunches to off-campus students once a week in their respective serveries (See story, page 1). Will Rice came up with the idea two years ago, and Wiess tested the idea last spring and decided to implement it this semester. These two colleges have the right idea, and we think it is something the other seven should implement.

Letters to the Editor

Thresher article omits information

Football ready to repeat SMU win

Tonight marks the start of the 2008 season for the football team as they face Conference USA foe Southern Methodist University in their first game of the year. The contest, which is being broadcast nationally on ESPN, marks the debut of SMU's $2 million a year head coach June Jones and his run-and-shoot offense, both of which join C-USA with much fanfare. The run-and-shoot is one of the oldest sorts of spread offenses, and Jones has been a run-and-shoot disciple since his playing days as a quarterback at Portland State in the mid-1970s.

Starring: Rice, tortillas, cilantro and your tastebuds

The Rice Student Association's HedgeHopper program will soon provide the campus community with discounts at sixteen Houston restaurants by way of the revamped HedgeHopper card. Soon to be distributed to undergrads and made available to Rice faculty and staff, the card will serve as a permanent coupon for the 2008-2009 school year. In support of this program, the Thresher has embarked upon a journey to review its sponsors. This week: Mission Burrito in the Rice Village.A good burrito is now closer than ever. With its new location on Morningside Dr. between Times Blvd. and University Blvd. across from Brian O'Neill's, Mission Burrito has created quite a fervor among the Rice population.

Commentary: What did we learn from these Olympics

With the closing ceremonies last weekend, the Beijing Olympics have officially come to a close. These Games featured their share of exhilarating victories, devastating defeats and questionable antics, just like the Olympiads of yore. So, barring any unforeseen Russian invasions of Georgian locker rooms, let's see what we've learned: The producers of Entourage had it backward: Michael Phelps, not Adrian Grenier, should have auditioned for the role of Aquaman. And just imagine how many more medals he would have won if he'd grown a Mark Spitz mustache?

Phils of the future

Students audition for a capella group The Philharmonics Tuesday in the Will Rice College private dining room. The group held auditions both Tuesday and Wednesday for the more vocally gifted of Rice's students.

Owls sweep first two challengers

Two seasons of falling short of an NCAA tournament berth and months of intensive off-season training culminated in an exciting opening weekend for the soccer team. With convincing wins against Sam Houston State University and University of Texas- San Antonio last weekend, the squad sent a message to the district and the nation. "Any time you get two home openers, you are hoping to start with a 2-0 record," head coach Chris Huston said. "The girls did fantastic."

Comic: Cingle Cellularity

Commentary: Oh, the life of a Nationals fan

For years I have kept a deep secret about myself. Afraid of the reaction of my friends and family, scared of certain humiliation, I have concealed a forbidden passion in the closet. But it is time to finally confess my feelings to the public and to endure the shame and ridicule which I will surely face. Yes, I am a fan of the Washington Nationals.