Special Projects

Rice Students for Justice in Palestine holds ‘Honoring Our Martyrs’ vigil

Members of the Rice community gathered in the Multicultural Center Courtyard for a vigil titled “Honoring Our Martyrs” Oct. 18. The vigil was held in remembrance of “our martyrs lost in Palestine, Chicago and Southern Lebanon this past week,” according to Rice Students for Justice in Palestine’s Oct. 16 Instagram post. 

10-25-2023: Crossword Solutions

10-25-2023 Crossword: "Spooky Season"

New Gala Levels of Support and Benefits

10-25-2023 Editorial Cartoon: "Owl-American"

Hold your Mustangs: Volleyball stumped by SMU

Volleyball lost two games to Southern Methodist University last weekend to bring their record to 7-3 in conference, dropping to third in the West Division of the American Athletic Conference. 

Albuquerque talks childhood

Catarina Albuquerque was shaking as she walked up to take a penalty kick in the 2021 Conference USA tournament. It was the spring semester of her freshman year, and she had been entrusted with the kick that could secure the Owls a spot in the C-USA tournament final. 

We’ve been at war with Tulane

At first glance, it might seem misleading to describe the relationship between the Rice Owls and the Tulane Green Wave as a significant rivalry. The Oct. 28 contest at Rice Stadium will be the two teams’ first meeting since 2013, and the pair have shared a conference for only nine of their over-100 seasons of football. One would not expect such a mid-season matchup to be especially worthy of anticipation. In reality, however, there is every reason for Owls fans to await this Saturday with intrigue.

Review: ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’ is monumental

Even prior to the release of “Killers of the Flower Moon,” online commentators were discussing the merits and, more often, the potential problems of the film’s three-and-a-half-hour runtime. This discourse, however, is entirely missing the point of director Martin Scorsese’s latest masterwork: “Killers of the Flower Moon” is a pointed, harrowing drama based on a true story about the exploitation of Native Americans and a criticism of American ignorance.

Roxane Gay talks ‘Opinions’ and learning to speak her mind

R&B music filtered through the ballroom, mixing with the scuffling of shoes against hardwood as people rushed to settle in before New York Times bestselling author Roxane Gay made her entrance. Once Gay stepped onto the stage, chatter quickly silenced and then burst into applause.

Review: ‘Anatomy of a Fall’ tackles trauma

Justine Triet’s “Anatomy of a Fall” is the most recent recipient of the Cannes Film Festival’s highest award, making Triet only the third female director in history to win the Palme d’Or. Triet’s film joins the ranks of past legendary winners such as “Taxi Driver,” “Pulp Fiction” and “Parasite.” Triet’s stellar screenwriting and lead actress Sandra Huller are truly at the heart of this film, contributing to one of the best movie releases of the year.

Halloween costume round-up

With Halloween coming up, there are few things more important this week than figuring out what to wear. Whether you’re looking to dress up with company or just going solo this year, the Thresher is here with some costume recommendations for you to don this Halloweekend. 

ktru debuts spooky Halloween show

ktru is hosting a Halloween show this Friday, Oct. 27 at the Sewall Pit from 8-10 p.m. featuring live music, screen printing and a costume contest. Station manager Keegan Pierce said this spooky event is meant to embody ktru’s “do-it-yourself” nature, showcasing underground artists and providing a taste of local music to the Rice community. 

Philosophers go head to head on gender

The question of what it means to be a woman is one of the most hotly disputed topics at the moment: Documentaries, research papers, books and hours of YouTube videos have been made on the subject. On the evening of Oct. 16, about 100 people — both Rice students and the greater Houston community — poured into the Hudspeth  Auditorium in the Glasscock School of Continuing Studies to watch two philosophers debate gender and philosophy in a discussion titled “Ontology of Gender.” 

Celebrating 50 years of Night of Decadence

While the atmosphere prior to Night of Decadence is always animated, this year’s energy is different: It will be the 50th anniversary of Rice’s arguably best known public. While event-goers look into grabbing hot pink outfits for this year’s “Cum on Barbie, let’s get NODy” theme, the Thresher will go over the history of the event.  

Quiet country life: best ways to take a rustication vacation

According to the Oxford English Dictionary, to “rusticate” is “to stay or live in the countryside; to live a quiet country life.” Rustication at Rice is a prohibition from living on campus and taking part in college life and activities — a softer cousin to expulsion. However, living “a quiet country life” is a serious blow to the social calendar and probably not most students’ idea of a perfect time at Rice. With that in mind, here are some ways to get rusticated for you to avoid … or not. 

We are NOD your sex doll

As we approach Night of Decadence, one of Rice’s most highly anticipated publics, we find ourselves facing a concerning theme for this year: “NODie Dreamhouse: Cum On Barbie, Let’s Get NODy.” This playful twist on “Barbie Dreamhouse: Come on Barbie, Let’s Go Party,” inspired by the recent “Barbie” blockbuster, has led us to question the theme’s level of inclusion.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks at Baker Institute

Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken came to Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy to lead a discussion on foreign policy and global affairs Oct. 3. The discussion was moderated by Baker Institute Director David Satterfield — who was recently appointed the U.S. special envoy for Middle Eastern humanitarian issues — in the Shepherd School of Music’s Stude Hall. Admission was free and open to the Rice community.

H&D increases residential college ambiance funds

Housing & Dining has increased the ambiance fund from $9,000 to $14,000 for each residential college starting this semester. 

Climate change spurs evolution, Rice biologists discover

A team of Rice biologists have observed the red-shouldered soapberry bug’s rapid evolution in response to Hurricane Harvey on campus.