Special Projects

Owls mauled by Cougars to end season

What a difference a week can make. After the football team's 30-29 win over the University of Texas-El Paso two weeks ago, things were looking up for the Owls (2-10, 2-6 Conference USA). Not only did the win come over a superior team and not only did the win send the seniors off in style, but the near-miraculous victory gave Rice its first winning streak of an otherwise horrendous season.

Power to the Paint

Combining Mormon imagery with vibrantly colored stencils from and inspired by Chilean stencilistas, anthropology doctoral candidate Michael Adair-Kriz has brought together two disparate subjects to create his new installation, Stenciling Power. More than just a slapdash collection of eclectic art pieces, Stenciling Power is the result of the two years Kriz spent in Santiago, Chile, doing field research and working with different groups of stencilistas.There are several different media at work in this installation, on display in the Rice Media Center Gallery through Tuesday, Dec. 15. The majority of Stenciling Power consists of rollered and spray-painted stencil images that confront issues including sexuality, religion, leftist politics and significant figures in the field of cultural anthropology. In addition to his original works, Adair-Kriz has reproduced or photographed dozens of authentic stencils from his time in Santiago, in doing so creating the best part of the installation.

Relish: Hickory Hollow hoedown

This week's restaurant pick preaches to the saying "Quantity is quality." For all you barbecue lovers out there who disregard dietary needs and enjoy devouring amounts in enormity, Hickory Hollow Barbecue is the place for you.By now almost every Rice student knows about Goode Co. Barbecue and Pappas Barbecue due to their close proximity to campus. But variety is the spice of life, and we figured that students need a new venue to try for the remainder of their Rice careers. Despite the 15-20 minute drive, Hickory Hollow proved to be on par with the other Houston barbecue joints - though not necessarily at the top of the list.

Letters to the Editor

Gratitude due for Mary Ellen Lane

Eunice Kennedy Shriver

Eunice Kennedy Shriver, the sister of former United States president John F. Kennedy, has died at the age of 88. Shriver's daughter Maria, the wife of California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, stated last year that her mother had suffered from a series of strokes.

Women falter against Mavs, Aggies as season commences

The women's basketball team started their season like they finished their last one - with a pair of losses. The Owls (0-2) traveled to the University of Texas-Arlington last Friday and Texas A&M University Wednesday to open their season, but found that the expected meshing of their youthful squad was not going to come about as easily as anticipated. Last season, the women fell to UTA (2-1) by a five-point margin in a game where then-freshman guard D'Frantz Smart was one assist and two rebounds short of a triple double. This time around, the Owls came out of the locker room shooting ice cold, making just 29 percent from the field and 13 percent from behind the three-point line in the first half. They were down by nine points, 38-29, going into the halftime break.

Erratum

In an article we published earlier this month ("NOD attracts whole new world of scantily clad," Nov. 6), the Thresher incorrectly reported that attendance at the annual Night of Decadence increased by 1,000 from last year. The attendance increased by 100. The Thresher regrets the error.

Congratulations deserved

Last Saturday, the football team won its Homecoming game against Tulane University (see story, page 14). This isn't a misprint. For those following the team's progress - even for those blissfully unaware - the win was an unexpected godsend. What better way to welcome hundreds of Rice alumni back to their former home? (And what better way to encourage them to donate money to the university than with a victory-infused pride?)The team hasn't had an easy season, by any means. Plagued by numerous injuries and a close loss to Southern Methodist University two weeks ago, Saturday's win energized present and former students alike.

Rice & BCM: Inside the Merger

Also be sure to read the Point/Counterpoint between President David Leebron and Professor Moshe Vardi on the merger.When talks of a merger between Rice and the Baylor College of Medicine began last year, discussions were held in private, but one thing was clear: Both institutions verged on a frontier of unknown possibilities.

KTRU Top 35: Week of 11.09.2009

Overloaded science courses lack student-faculty interaction

Rice touts itself as a high-caliber institution, complete with small, intimate classes and endless opportunities for undergraduate advancement. As I accepted Rice's offer of admission, Rice's five-to-one student-teacher ratio kept flashing through my mind. I wanted the chance to get to know all of my professors and avoid being a nameless sheep among hundreds of others. In addition to the small classes promised, Rice's proximity to the Texas Medical Center and its strong emphasis on scientific research made Rice a haven for pre-med students. I was sold on the university's pre-med-friendly image and the idea of personalized learning.

School-wide shirt design announced

For an organization that holds its meeting in a room often used as an art gallery, the Student Association does not typically take advantage of the inspiration surrounding itself. Well, no more. The SA recently held a Who Drew? T-shirt design contest, which called upon the student body to design a T-shirt that encompassed Rice's culture. The winner was Pawel Mikolajczyk, a sophomore at Sid Richardson College. Mikolajczyk's design features an owl holding a globe, a scroll, a baseball and beer, a parody of Da Vinci's well-known sketch of the Vitruvian Man with four arms and legs spread out.

Tulane falls prey to Owls' hunt for first win

Throughout the first nine games of this disheartening season, the football team was plagued with a tough schedule, a slew of injuries and some of the worst luck the program has seen in years. But it appears that karmic intervention is finally making its way back to Rice Stadium, as, in the homecoming game last Saturday, the Owls (1-9, 1-5 Conference USA) defeated Tulane University 28-20. But it wasn't easy, it wasn't clean and it wasn't pretty. Tulane (3-7, 1-5 C-USA) scored twice in the first quarter, following the pattern of previous games and rattling the nerves of everyone in the stadium. The worries were warranted, considering the Owls accrued a mere three yards on six plays over their first two drives.

Photo: Where the wild things are

The Wild Moccasins, a local indie pop band, opened for Augustana during Saturday's Homecoming Concert on the Central Quad.

Letters to the Editor

Rice-BCM merger clearly thought-out

McWill defeats Jones in double-overtime thriller

McWill 13, Jones 12 (Double OT)

Health system rife with overcomplication

Two weeks ago, I went to Methodist Hospital for a cortisone injection in an attempt to relieve the pain I've been having from a herniated disk. When the doctor's office called me with instructions, I asked them how much this procedure would cost. They said they wouldn't know until they processed my insurance. The day before my appointment, the hospital staff informed me that I would have to show up the next day and pay $400 out of pocket. Fortunately, my parents wired me the money that day to cover this unexpected financial imposition. During the consultation with my physician, I asked him how much a cortisone injection cost. I already knew what it cost me, but when I posed the question to him, he had no idea.

Tuesday's Sports Update: Women's basketball falls again riding an 0-4 record

The Women's basketball team faced off against the University of Arkansas - Little Rock tonight at Tudor Fieldhouse. The women entered the contest 0-3, while UALR was 2-1.The Owls started off slow, calling a timeout in the first few minutes as the Trojans went up 9-4. The Owls rebounded after the timeout, going on a 13-2 scoring run. The Owls caught fire from three-point land in the first half, shooting 50 percent to finish out the half. The ladies went into the half up 28-25. Sophomore Guard D'Frantz Smart lead the team with five points in the first period, while several others had scored as well.

Relish: A frenzy for fresh fish

Have you been craving seafood? We don't mean fried catfish out of a box or popcorn shrimp in the servery, but fresh, succulent fish, oysters, mussels, crabs and shrimp - the good stuff. If any of that sounds delicious - and it really should, if you have any taste - then Denis' Seafood House is the place for you. With its diverse menu, plentiful portions and a guarantee of freshness, you'll find it hard to walk away unsatisfied.Before we get to the goods, keep a few things in mind: First, the restaurant is not close; expect to drive upwards of half an hour. Additionally, if you look online, the happy hour menu seems great, but be aware of its misprint: Contrary to the advertisement, happy hour ends at 7 p.m., not 9 p.m., an obvious disappointment to yours truly. Also, if you come for happy hour, you will have to sit at the bar. These are just minor annoyances, though, and hardly detract from the overall experience.

Pool of prospects expands

With the passing of the Nov. 1 deadline for early decision this year, it has become clear that the number of applicants is once again increasing. Although regular decision applications are not due until Jan. 2, 2010, Vice President for Enrollment Chris Muñoz estimated that applicant numbers will increase by 21 to 24 percent this year.