Special Projects

Reed's Gourmet Servery Recipes

"Hunger is good discipline and you learn from it." So ponders a young Ernest Hemingway in his lesser read, yet still fascinating novel A Moveable Feast. When I read that line back in high school I appreciated the profoundness in which it was written, but only when I matriculated at Rice University some months ago did I really begin to feel its truth. In fact, if that line was translated into Latin, I'm fairly certain that Rice would have a new unofficial motto.

Condoleezza Rice appeals to Rice community

Rice University had the opportunity to host Condoleezza Rice for the second time in four years this past Tuesday (see story, pg. 1). The former Secretary of State detailed her rise to prominence while peppering the audience with amusing anecdotes about her experiences in the White House and abroad. Rice not only kept the crowd entertained but offered pointed analyses about the state of the country in today's world. Most impressively, Rice geared her talk towards undergraduate students by posing advice about following passions and pursuing a career in public service. References to the book she was selling were at an absolute minimum.

Last week's online poll results

Click the image to enlarge.

Women's Basketball 2011

Expectations are higher than they've ever been for the Rice women's basketball team this season. After a surprising 18-13 regular season and a berth in the Women's National Invitational Tournament during the 2010- 2011 campaign, Head Coach Greg Williams (Hanszen '70) finds himself in the unfamiliar position of leading a team that is going to compete for a Conference USA title.

How to make your own "bro-tank" top

1) Start with a plain T-shirt, or even better, a T-shirt with a sports logo on it.

Rice aims to dispel student misconceptions about EMS calls

Two rumors have spread through the student body that discourage students from contacting Rice Emergency Medical Services in alcohol related incidents, University Court Chair Ellory Matzner said.

New, diverse Twilight sound

On Nov. 18, the pubescent ride that is the Twilight Saga will begin to come to an end. The recent release of its soundtrack, however, foreshadows a potentially successful beginning to an end.

News In Rhyme

International

Chatroom draws you in

Wiess Tabletop Theater's Fall production, "Chatroom," wastes no energy or time in its performance of Enda Walsh's heavy but fast-paced play. Producers Liz Castillo, a Wiess College senior, and Ian Kretz, a Wiess sophomore, along with director Ian Bott, a Wiess junior, have formed a production true to the vivid and sometimes even grotesque quality of Walsh's work. Though the one-act play is short, running about one hour, Tabletop's "Chatroom" is engagingly concentrated. The simple premise of six high school students communicating through chat rooms becomes a palette to tackle complex topics like manipulation and suicide. Despite such grave subject matter, the play finds unconventional ways to be funny, resulting in a poignant and entertaining play.

Swim team falls just short in North Texas

After a successful home meet the week prior, the swim team headed north for two consecutive meets against Texas Christian University and the University of North Texas. However, victory was not on Rice's side, as the team fell short in both outings. First, it was the Horned Frogs that claimed a 159-126 non-conference dual meet win over the Owl swimmers on Friday evening in Fort Worth. Although Rice won six of the meet's 16 events overall, TCU won eight swim races and both springboard diving events, as Rice does not have any divers on its roster.

Take your pick

Here are the highlights from the Spring 2011 evaluations. Courses with less than 10 responses as well as LPAP, college and graduate-level courses were not included in this analysis. Information is presented as-is and without testing for statistical significance. With that in mind, data may be less accurate for courses with fewer responses.

Good luck, Rice basketball

The Rice Thresher would like to bid the Rice Men's and Women's Basketball team the best of luck as it begins its season this Friday and Saturday (see stories, pgs. 20-21). The Men's team opens at home against the University of New Orleans, and the Thresher encourgaes students to attend the game.

Project Spotlight: Senior Interviews

In the life of a high school senior, few things are scarier than that college admissions interview for your dream school. Sitting across the table from an alumni interviewer or an admissions staff member can be incredibly intimidating, especially when you think your entire future rests on your ability to answer a barrage of tricky questions. Fortunately for many prospective students, there is an alternative to the traditional interview.

Great Tex-Mex and atmosphere at Cabo restaurant downtown

Some restaurants are great to eat at because the food is good, but at others, the atmosphere completes the experience. Cabo, located just off the METRORail on Travis Street, is certainly one of those places.

Battle of the Plans: Two Plans to Solve the Jobs Crisis

The Rice Conservative Forum will be debating the Rice Young Democrats at the Baker Institute Student Forum. The discussion in the debate will focus on the best way to create and protect American jobs and ensure a strong American economy for the future. The debate participants share some of their beliefs on the matter The Rice Conservative Forum will be debating the Rice Young Democrats at the Baker Institute Student Forum. The discussion in the debate will focus on the best way to create and protect American jobs and ensure a strong American economy for the future. The debate participants share some of their beliefs on the matter .

Input wanted on Beer Bike

FarmFest 2011 digs Houston's Fifth Ward

Towering over the dilapidated rooftops and barred windows of the homes in the Fifth Ward is a giant mural of an onion. This mural, painted on an abandoned rice mill tower, along with the words "Farm Art," is the Last Organic Outpost's logo. An inner city urban farm, the Outpost has been supplying fresh produce to the Fifth Ward for over 10 years. On Saturday, the onion mural beckoned visitors to the Outpost's FarmFest 2011, an event celebrating sustainable gardening and healthy living.

Trends on Campus "Bro-tanks" wage war on sleeves

Picture a "bro" in your head. You could be imagining any number of different people, including an upper middle-class male in a fraternity. Someone in a cut-off T-shirt and a flat-billed hat. A beer-loving, collar-popping guy with a penchant for Sperry top-siders and hanging out with other men.

Macbeth well-executed

Murder, greed, war: William Shakespeare's Macbeth is rich with drama. Performing this play can be tricky due to its notoriety (it is rumored to be cursed) in the theater world. The Rice Visual and Dramatic Arts Department does a tremendous job in its execution of Shakespeare's Macbeth with a talented cast and unmatched technical details.

Old-school samples, novel sound

When creating Endtroducing… DJ Shadow's goal was to make an album constructed entirely from samples. He dug through his collection of more than 60,000 records and visited stores with a battery-operated record player. Shadow sampled from jazz, old school hip-hop, dialogue from films and interviews and even a heavy metal track. He avoided the obvious samples one would find on Girl Talk albums and searched for the obscure. The most well-known track Shadow sampled was "Orion" by Metallica, while other samples come from artists even the most outspoken sonophile wouldn't know, such as Lifer's Group and H.P. Riot. When listening to Endtroducing… one can understand how meticulous DJ Shadow was. He cut up simple drum beats and tied them together to make his own break beats. He built his own chords from the different samples. If one listens closely, he or she can even hear the fuzz from the old records DJ Shadow sampled. Somehow everything is perfectly interwoven into this organic masterpiece. Even after all my time listening to Endtroducing… I still have to remind myself that DJ Shadow did not write a single note or drum beat.