The Rice Thresher | Wednesday, October 25, 2023

VOLUME 108, ISSUE NO. 9 | STUDENT-RUN SINCE 1916 | RICETHRESHER.ORG | WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2023

Owls soar past Golden Hurricanes over weekend PAVITHR GOLI

SPORTS EDITOR

On the backdrop of a picturesque sunset last Thursday evening in Tulsa, the Rice Owls defeated the University of Tulsa Golden Hurricane 42-10 to improve to 4-3 on the season and 2-1 in conference play. The Owls’ 32-point victory, which was the biggest margin of victory for Rice against conference opposition since 2013, was mainly led by graduate transfer quarterback JT Daniels who threw for 342 passing yards and three total touchdowns and junior running back Dean Connors who rushed for a career-high 120 rushing yards and three touchdowns.

Head coach Mike Bloomgren was happy with how his team handled their loss against the University of Connecticut and came out of their bye week ready to win on Thursday evening.

Rice celebrates 20-year partnership with QuestBridge BRYAN MENDOZA / THRESHER

KAREN MARTINEZ FERNANDEZ director of the Rice Emerging Scholars

FOR THE THRESHER

QuestBridge celebrated its 20-year anniversary of partnership with Rice Oct. 11. Founded in 1994 in California as a non-profit, the organization said it aims to support exceptional youth from low income backgrounds in their college preparatory journeys.

Partner institutions include Rice, Harvard University, Stanford University, John Hopkins University and many other top-ranked institutions. QuestBridge has said that many qualified first generation low-income students otherwise do not apply to selective colleges.

Jorge Gómez Fernández, the assistant

Program, said QuestBridge and Rice’s values of community engagement and providing financial aid support align.

“Rice’s sense of student autonomy and its emphasis on making a positive impact through an individual’s civic responsibilities overlaps with QuestBridge’s core value of civic and community engagement,” Gómez said.

QuestBridge reports that over 96,000 students are served by its programs, in addition to the 12,000 QuestBridge Scholars that matched to a college partnership with a four-year full ride scholarship.

Being a ‘Questee’ and being an FGLI student doesn’t define me here … but it’s an important part of how I ended up here.

Brandon Nunez

RIYA MISRA

Illinois landlord fatally stabbed a 6-yearold Muslim boy in what police said was a hate crime motivated by the IsraelHamas war, according to the Associated Press.

The day before the vigil, a deadly explosion took place at Gaza City’s alAhli Arab Hospital. According to The New York Times, U.S. intelligence officials estimate the blast killed 100 to 300, while the “Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza gave the death toll as 471.”

SEE PALESTINE VIGIL PAGE 2

SEE TULSA PAGE 10

MCMURTRY COLLEGE SOPHOMORE

SEE QUESTBRIDGE PAGE 2

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.

An organizer from Rice SJP said they identify “martyrs” as all Palestinians

“killed as a result of Israel’s actions” in what the Associated Press has said is the “deadliest of five Gaza wars for both sides.” The organizer declined to comment on whether Hamas militants are included as “martyrs.”

The vigil opened with eight speakers, each of whom took turns sharing remarks about the Israel-Hamas war. None of the speakers identified themselves on-site.

Representatives from Rice SJP did not respond to a request about speakers’ identities or event attendance.

The vigil took place four days after an

FOOTBALL HEAD COACH

“I’m really proud of how this team bounced back,” Bloomgren said. “I’m proud of how they attacked the bye week, in totality. The results that they got tonight from sticking together and playing incredibly hard within the system and making special plays when special plays were there to be made. I am incredibly proud of the guys.”

Receiving the kickoff to start the game, the Owls’ offense recorded a three-and-out on their first possession.

The Owls’ defense made an immediate imprint on the game after junior safety Gabriel Taylor recorded an interception on Tulsa’s second play of the game.

Taking advantage of the turnover, the Owls’ offense scored on a Connors 54yard touchdown run.

Looking to respond, the Golden Hurricanes drove the ball deep into the Owls’ endzone. However, Rice’s defense made a big stop on a crucial Tulsa fourth down to give the ball back to the Owls’ offense. After an offensive three-and-out, the Owls’ defense forced their second turnover of the quarter after redshirt sophomore cornerback Jonathan Jean sacked the Tulsa quarterback, forcing a fumble.

Rice Students for Justice in Palestine holds ‘Honoring Our Martyrs’ vigil EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

I’m really proud of how this team bounced back.

I’m proud of how they attacked the bye week, in totality. The results that they got tonight from sticking together and playing incredibly hard within the system and making special plays when special plays were there to be made. I am incredibly proud of the guys.

Mike Bloomgren

2 • WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2023

THE RICE THRESHER

FROM FRONT PAGE

QUESTBRIDGE

ultimately, matching with the college.

Likewise, Jones College freshman The QuestBridge application is free Rachel Parr said that since Rice was one of and not college-specific. After an initial the first QuestBridge partners, it was high submission to QuestBridge in September, on her match list. high school students can rank up to 15 “Looking at the packages offered by “college partners.” Then, when finalists different QuestBridge partner schools, are notified, they have two weeks to write Rice had one of the most comprehensive supplemental essays for each potential scholarship packages … that was really college. reassuring to me,” Parr said.

According to McMurtry College Parr added that it is important to feel s o p h o m o r e supported not only Brandon Nunez, he financially, but by felt the QuestBridge the community and application process resources at Rice.

Rice’s sense of student decreased the “No matter stress of college autonomy and its how my situation applications and emphasis on making a changes, the made them more positive impact through university is accessible. committed to an individual’s civic “ T h e meeting my Q u e s t B r i d g e responsibilities overlaps needs, especially application felt with QuestBridge’s through things really manageable core value of civic and like the Access as a high school and Opportunity student,” Nunez community engagement.

Portal,” Parr said. said.

“Knowing these Jorge Gómez Fernández Nunez said while ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, RICE [resources] exist applying to colleges, has been incredibly EMERGING SCHOLARS PROGRAM f i r s t- ge n e r a t i o n reassuring to me.” low-income students can face financial According to Gómez, investment in these barriers such as application fees and time resources is crucial, but work to support constraints to write specific supplemental FGLI students needs to continue. essays. These can impact what colleges and “It is one thing to remove the first how many institutions students apply to. accessibility gate for FGLI students at Rice, Although the binding matching process which QuestBridge does, but the institution can be stressful, a common sentiment across then also holds some responsibility in finalists was that thorough conversation ensuring that a QuestBridge student, or, with counselors and family assured them of more broadly, any FGLI student is able to their intentional decisions on ranking. persist in their degree as well,” Gómez said.

Baker College freshman Asianna Junge Earlier this year, Rice created the Owl said that Rice’s status as a QuestBridge Access program to welcome new students partner impacted her college decision and, to Rice a week prior to Orientation Week.

Both Junge and Parr, who participated in the program, mentioned the positive impact the program had for them coming into Rice.

“I was honestly shocked that it was the first year that [Rice] had done [the program] because I couldn’t imagine going through O-Week, or even being on campus, and not already having that foundation of students that I knew were going through the same troubles and changes as me,” Junge said.

“Knowing that no matter how busy I get, I will have those people to fall back on … is something that has been really important to me this year,” Parr said.

Student Success Initiatives holds different social events for FGLI students, such as a picnic Oct. 16, where students can bond and get to know each other.

In addition to the FGLI community, the Rice QuestBridge Students Network Chapter aims to continue supporting QuestBridge scholars, according to Gómez.

Founded in 2003, the Rice QuestBridge Students Network Chapter has worked with various on and off-campus groups to extend resources to scholars, such as SSI, Generation College and the Center for Career Development, according to the QuestBridge website.

Junge said she believes the Rice QuestBridge community has impacted her and fellow freshmen alike because of the reassurance they provide.

“In the beginning of the year, we had a QuestBridge dinner,” Junge said. “It was very casual, and they were very open about the social events that they do, and … reinforcing the idea that you deserve to be here, which I think is something that a lot of students struggle with, whether they

COURTESY BRANDON MARTIN Owl Access students are welcomed to campus prior to Orientation Week.

are FGLI students or not, or QuestBridge or not.”

Gómez said QuestBridge gathers exceptionally talented and motivated students from limited-income backgrounds.

The integration of QuestBridge scholars contributes to a vibrant and intellectuallystimulating campus.

“Their perspectives, stories, and experiences enrich campus culture by bringing depth to the broader learning environment at Rice. QuestBridge not only selects students on their academic achievement, but their potential as well,” Gómez said.

“Being a ‘Questee’ and being an FGLI student doesn’t define me here,” Nunez added. “But it’s an important part of how I ended up here.”

FROM FRONT PAGE

PALESTINE VIGIL

Hamas officials have blamed an Israeli airstrike for the explosion, while Israel said it was caused by a misfired Palestinian rocket. The Associated Press conducted a visual analysis of the blast and concluded that “the most likely scenario would be that it was a failed rocket launched from Gaza that failed mid-flight and … mistakenly hit the hospital.”

The first speaker also referenced what The New York Times called a “humanitarian crisis” in Gaza, with little availability of potable water and international aid arriving at a “trickle,” as well as Israel’s use of white phosphorus gas, which Human Rights Watch said can pose “grave risks” to civilians. The speaker accused the Israeli military of the “targeting and bombing of schools, places of worship and civilian homes.”

“We must bring attention to the atrocities and war crimes committed by the state of Israel,” the speaker said. “Now, more than ever, this intent is explicit. And we must not hesitate to call this what it is: genocide.”

The United Nations has said there is a “risk of genocide against the Palestinian people” and has urged the “parties to the conflict” to adhere to international humanitarian and wartime laws that prioritize the protection of all civilians.

The U.N. also said the “taking and holding of hostages is prohibited by international law,” referring to the more than 200 Israelis, many civilians, taken hostage in Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack; a handful have been released as of publication. According to the U.N., “civilians constitute the majority of those killed in both Gaza and Israel.”

The next two speakers cited a “dire need” for humanitarian relief in Gaza,

calling for an end to the United States’ financial support to Israel. The United States pays $3.8 billion dollars in military assistance to Israel annually, according to the U.S. Department of State.

“Gaza, the heartbeat of Palestine and the cradle of the Palestinian struggle, remains a symbol of the unbreakable Palestinian spirit. We will never forget or abandon our people there,” the third speaker said. “And we must urge principled individuals, universities and organizations around the world to join hands in bearing the responsibility of standing with them in solidarity.”

Rice SJP released an open letter Oct. 21 calling for the Office of the President to stand in solidarity

with Palestine and denounce anti-Muslim and anti-Palestinian rhetoric. The letter is co-signed by Anakbayan Houston, Rice Muslim Student Association and The Rice Marxists. As of Oct. 24, the letter has garnered 333 signatures.

“We especially express our disappointment at the recent statements released by the Office of the President, which present a one-sided narrative and fail to acknowledge Israel’s violent assault on Palestine,” the statement wrote.

“As we noted in our communications, Rice denounces the violence in both Gaza and Israel … The ongoing situation in Israel and the Palestinian territories resonates in many ways within our campus and c o m m u n i t y,

BRANDON CHEN / THRESHER Rice Students for Justice in Palestine hosted a vigil titled “Honoring Our Martyrs” in the Multicultural Center courtyard Oct. 18.

and we anticipate that this pain will persist in the coming months,” President Reggie DesRoches previously wrote to the Thresher on Oct. 16 in response to criticism expressed at the “All out for Palestine” protest Oct. 14.

The vigil’s next three speakers recited a selection of passages, including verses from the Quran and excerpts of self-written poetry. One person read aloud “The Words Under the Words,” a poem by PalestinianAmerican writer Naomi Shihab Nye. Another spoke as a third-generation Palestinian-American, using their allotted time to honor some of the recently killed Palestinians. The ongoing Israel-Hamas war “will be the first genocide in modern history that was completely obvious to everyone on social media,” they said.

“Some of them are artists. Some of them are doctors, some of them are lawyers.

Most of them are refugees just like me, pushed to the corner for another state to take their place,” they said. “I will continue to create art for them. I will continue to order my favorite cup of coffee for them. I will continue to listen to my favorite song for them. I will continue to talk about Palestine for them.”

The vigil concluded with a moment of silence and an invitation to light candles in honor of the deceased. The last speaker emphasized the power of speaking up and spreading awareness, then announced another protest, held in front of City Hall Oct. 21.

“Our protests, like the one today, this vigil, our social media posts, everything,” the speaker said. “It all has power. People of Palestine … see us fighting for them every day, every day. We cannot let them down. We cannot stop.”

Brandon Chen contributed to this reporting.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2023 • 3

NEWS

Texas politics pose challenge to hiring faculty, DesRoches says

GUILLIAN PAGUILA / THRESHER

BELINDA ZHU

FOR THE THRESHER Rice is missing opportunities to hire potential faculty members due to concerns surrounding Texas’s political climate, according to an interview with President Reggie DesRoches published in Bloomberg.

DesRoches said Rice is seeking to hire 200 new faculty members, but many professors from the East or West coasts are reluctant to consider moving to Houston.

The American Association of University Professors and Texas Faculty Association found in a September report that around two-thirds of the 1,900 faculty members surveyed across Texas wouldn’t recommend seeking a faculty position in Texas to their peers. Additionally, a quarter of respondents stated they were planning to interview for positions outside of Texas within the next year.

Alessandro Piazza, a distinguished

assistant professor at the Jones School of Business, said he believes those in academia are typically well-educated, progressive and socially conscious, so many laws Texas has passed, notably around reproductive healthcare, deter potential hires.

“I was at a conference in August where our organizational behavior group was recruiting, and I was talking to a fairly promising female candidate,” Piazza said.

“She said, as a woman who has a daughter, she would never work in Texas.”

Tesla Cariani, a postdoctoral fellow in the Center for the Study of Women, Gender and Sexuality who is non-binary and has two long-term partners, one of whom is transgender, said they can understand why it can be intimidating to consider living in Texas as a gender minority.

“It can be hard to imagine living in a place where everything you read about it signals that you don’t exist, [and] that it’s

Campbell Lecture Series to host Imani Perry in November HONGTAO HU

H&D increases residential college ambiance funds RICHIE SU

FOR THE THRESHER Imani Perry, the Carol K. Pforzheimer Professor at Harvard University and a MacArthur Fellow, will give two lectures at Rice for the Campbell Lecture Series at 6 p.m. Nov. 15 and 16.

The lectures are titled “For Oneself and One’s Own: Law, Citizenship, and African American History” and “On Trial: The Tradition of Black Testimony and Witness.” These lectures will be given in the Hudspeth Auditorium at the Susanne M. Glasscock School of Continuing Studies.

A fellow of the Guggenheim Foundation and author of six books, Perry won a National Book Award in 2022 for her most recent book, “South to America: A Journey Below the MasonDixon to Understand the Soul of a Nation.” Perry said her research for the lectures had been ongoing for many years.

“I’m specifically interested in what kinds of ideas about what the law should be and do emerged from people who stood outside of the law,” Perry wrote in an email to the Thresher. “The most vulnerable have always had a more nuanced understanding of how law can be used to harm or protect, to facilitate or destroy.”

Dean of Humanities Kathleen Canning said the Campbell Lecture Series brings preeminent scholars and artists to Rice to tackle societal issues in the humanities.

“It’s not every day that Rice students have the chance to hear a lecture by a scholar of Imani Perry’s caliber and visibility, who has won one national prize after another very recently,” Canning wrote in an email to the Thresher.

According to Lora Wildenthal, the director of the Center for the Study of Women, Gender and Sexuality, going to such one-or two-time lectures can be

going to be hard to get basic healthcare,” taking hormones or looking into other trans-affirmative [care].”

Cariani said.

Piazza and Cariani said that people Jenny Liu, the co-director of Rice Women’s Resource Center, mentioned that forget that Houston is an urban area with a the stigma surrounding Texas made her lot of diversity.

“I think the biggest divide [in the U.S. hesitant about coming to Rice.

“The political nature of this state tends now] is not between red and blue states, to be a lot more conservative and a lot of but between urban and rural,” Piazza said. policies are not great for women,” Liu, a “Even though New York is traditionally considered a Democratic state, if you junior from Sid Richardson College, said.

Liu said the fear surrounding Texas’s venture out of the city and go 50 miles north, political climate was exacerbated by you would actually find an environment the overturning of Roe v. Wade and the that is not terribly different from certain suburban and rural trigger law banning areas of Texas.” abortion in Texas.

Cariani said the “[After] Roe most challenging v.

Wade got [Houston] is and can be a part of faculty overturned, we had recruitment is a lot of students great place to live, and it getting people to come in and ask would be an even better come visit Houston. what this meant for place to live if more great they visit, them, and how it people would join us early. Once they would realize would affect them it’s a great place to day to day,” Liu Alessandro Piazza live, Cariani said. said.

ASSISTANT PROFESSOR, JONES “There is so Cariani said SCHOOL OF BUSINESS much here,” Cariani that despite some legislation not passing, it sends the same said. “Part of it is countering narratives message that Texas doesn’t value members about Texas and the South, so we can fight of the LGBTQ community, which has taken for the things that really matter to us.”

According to Piazza, there are upsides a toll on students.

“I have seen [the legislation] take a to living in Houston, especially in terms of mental, emotional and physical toll on affordability and purchasing power. “[Houston] is and can be a great place colleagues, but especially on students who may be looking at some of these healthcare to live, and it would be an even better place bills,” Cariani said. “One of the things that to live if more great people would join us,” Texas was considering has been to raise Piazza said.

Editor’s Note: This article has been bans [on gender-affirming care] from 18 years old to 26 years old, and that would condensed for print. To read more, visit absolutely affect college students if they’re ricethresher.org.

FOR THE THRESHER

COURTESY RICE NEWS valuable. “[Campbell Lectures get] people out of the inevitable limitations of the faculty who happen to be employed by Rice University at this moment, and whose classes happen to fit into the schedules of students,” Wildenthal said. “You can have a big intellectual experience with one event, you don’t have to commit to a whole semester.”

Perry said she hopes the lectures will be of interest to students from fields including political science, history, English, philosophy and African American Studies. These lectures will draw upon poetry and legal cases alongside literature.

Wiess College junior Owen Silberg said such lectures expand his understanding of the world beyond what he learns in class.

“Pedagogically, it’s useful to have something to build a basis of knowledge from beyond what you’ve studied in your course where you can go learn about a focused piece of information,” Silberg said. “I mean, professors are experts, ‘capital-E’ experts on whatever they’re talking about.”

Each lecture will be about 45 minutes, followed by time for questions.

Registration is required, but tickets are free.

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

The ambiance fund is a portion of the housing budget allocated to help improve colleges’ overall appearance and facilities.

“Ambiance funds have been provided to the colleges for years to help enhance common spaces outside of capital improvements and maintenance repair,” Beth Leaver, the interim executive director of H&D, wrote in the email to the Thresher. “It is to improve the ‘ambiance’ of the college and H&D works with college leadership on these special projects.”

Will Rice College President Gazi Fuad said he appreciates the additional funding and that Will Rice’s external vice presidents are still planning how to distribute the budget increase.

“I think $5,000 is a pretty satisfying amount,” Fuad, a senior, said. “We talked about it in our external college meetings. Some ideas we had were to create a Will Rice-specific gym and also quad renovations.”

Representatives at Jones College also discussed potential uses of the ambiance fund.

“Honestly, I appreciate [that Rice is increasing the fund] because it shows that there are people who care about us,” Naayaa Mehta, a Jones freshman and floor representative, said. “I am interested in seeing better quality stuff, like more bathroom stalls for [the] South building.”

Jones ambiance coordinator Arryana Lyon said she hopes to use the extra funds to rethink the interior design of college spaces.

“I’m a strong advocate for designing spaces to be both functional and aesthetically pleasing to boost positive vibes and productivity,” Lyon, a sophomore, said. “Something I would like to do is look into re-imagining spaces on different floors to have more communal spaces throughout each building.”

Teressa Tu, a freshman at Duncan College, said that she would feel a stronger sense of belonging if her college was better decorated. She thinks that a well-decorated space would reflect Rice’s humanistic culture more.

Fuad said the ambiance fund replaced H&D’s previous practice of matching college funds.

“As far as I know, [previously] H&D gave us $5,000 to spend on the ambiance fund. Then if the college puts up $2,000 of our own budget, they will match that $2,000 and give us another $2,000,” Fuad said. “This year, there’s no matching structure, and they increased the ambiance fund to $14,000 with $1,000 for the Green Fund [for EcoReps]. Generally, I’m pretty happy because it allows us to do more elaborate projects that we otherwise might not have been able to do.”

VIRGINIA LIU / THRESHER

4 • WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2023

NEWS

Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks at Baker Institute RIYA MISRA

giving to Ukraine,” Baker said, which was met with a round of applause from the audience.

Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken Satterfield opened the conversation came to Rice’s Baker Institute for Public with Blinken by discussing the Policy to lead a discussion on foreign significance of the number 30. The policy and global affairs Oct. 3. The Baker Institute will celebrate its 30th discussion was moderated by Baker anniversary this month. Over 30 years Institute Director David Satterfield — who ago, Eastern Europe freed itself from the was recently appointed the U.S. special Soviet Union, in what Satterfield called envoy for Middle Eastern humanitarian an “inflection point.” issues — in the Shepherd School of Blinken and Satterfield agreed that Music’s Stude Hall. Admission was free the world is currently facing a similar and open to the Rice community. inflection point in global affairs.

Former Secretary of State James Baker “We are at … a point that comes along opened the event with praise of Blinken’s not every year, not every decade, but every accomplishments few generations, and relationship where the with President changes are so Joseph Biden.

I don’t think it’s zero sum. fundamental and “One thing is that To me, to us, human rights monumental certain: Given his the decisions that long association are a national interest. you make in that with Joe Biden, our Antony Blinken period will not guest possesses just shape the U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE the full confidence next few years, but of the president whom he serves,” Baker probably the coming decades,” Blinken said. “While every U.S. secretary of state said. faces unique challenges, I think we can Much of Blinken’s early conversation all agree that Secretary Blinken has a full centered around Russian president foreign policy agenda … including rising Vladimir Putin’s governance and the tensions with China and the possibility ongoing Russo-Ukrainian war. Since the of a Saudi-Israeli normalization in the United States is inevitably drawn into Middle East.” global conflict, Blinken said, American Baker’s speech focused particularly intervention in the Russo-Ukrainian war on the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian war. is a matter of national interest. He argues Baker said Russia’s actions “bear an that Putin is not interested in diplomacy uncanny resemblance” to Nazi Germany’s — consequently, the fastest way to occupation of Czechoslovakia in 1938 end the war and avoid direct conflict and the subsequent inaction from allied between America and Russia is to support countries.

Ukraine’s developing military, Blinken “[The resemblance] is why I feel that said.

President Biden and Secretary Blinken “It’s not simply because we want to are absolutely correct in supporting the help people in Ukraine who are being lethal assistance that America is now aggressed. It’s because the principles at EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Climate change spurs evolution, Rice biologists discover JACK LEE

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

Evolution is typically understood to be a slow process occurring over the course of thousands of years. However, associate professor of biosciences Scott Egan said human influences can cause evolutionary adaptations to occur much faster. Such phenomena, Egan said, led his lab group to turn their attention toward the bug around 2016. “[Soapberry bugs] have been native and naturally fed on different members of the soapberry plant family for millions of years,” Egan said, “But as we humans do, we like to move things across the planet. One plant we’ve recently moved to the southeastern United States is a plant called the golden rain tree … this beautiful plant, which is from Southeast Asia, is a member of the soapberry family as well. The bugs that feed on native soapberry plants here saw this new resource, and they shifted onto it about 60 years ago.”

To take full advantage of the new food source, Egan said the length of the beaks of soapberry bugs shortened in an evolutionary response to the golden rain tree’s short distance to the seed.

“These bugs are seed predators, they eat the seeds inside the fruits, and so if you have the right length of beak, you can get at the seeds inside,” Egan said.

COURTESY MATT COMERFORD Mattheau Comerford, then a graduate student in Egan’s lab and now a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Massachusetts Boston, said red-shouldered soapberry bugs could be found across Houston, even on campus.

“It was kind of like Darwin’s finches in our own backyard,” Comerford said. “Our first goal was to set out and document what the natural history of the insect was in the area.”

Comerford, who was lead author of the study, said the team established sites throughout Houston and routinely visited them to collect redshouldered soapberry bug specimens.

In addition to the changes in beak length, researchers observed variations in wing length, which Comerford speculated to be genetically linked to the beak length. While the study proceeded, in 2017, Hurricane Harvey struck. Comerford said the bugs were not spared.

This story has been cut off for print.

Read the full article at ricethresher.org.

the heart of the international system are also being aggressed,” Blinken said. “If we don’t defend them, we’re going to be opening a Pandora’s box and we’re going to get a world of hurt that won’t be good for us.”

Satterfield then asked how Blinken counters Russia’s waiting game — Putin’s philosophy that Russia’s extended military actions can outlast the support of the U.S. and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. According to Blinken, the waiting game is failing.

“Russia now is weaker militarily.

It’s weaker economically. It’s weaker diplomatically,” Blinken said. “Putin himself is a pariah in much of the world.

He’s managed to precipitate virtually everything he sought to prevent.”

Satterfield then discussed migration along the U.S.-Mexico border and what he called China’s threat to the global order.

In both instances, Blinken emphasized the significance of diplomacy — whether trading partnerships with Mexico or agreements with European partners to outweigh China.

The discussion ended with a question from a student, who asked how Blinken, as the “premier diplomat” of the United States, attempts to reconcile advocacy for national interest — such as security and trade — and human rights abroad.

Blinken’s answer: They’re not mutually exclusive.

“I don’t think it’s zero sum,” Blinken said. “To me, to us, human rights are a national interest.”

ANDY LIU / THRESHER

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2023 • 5

THE RICE THRESHER

EDITORIAL

Houston’s future depends on this mayoral election

Early voting has started in the elections of Houston’s next mayor and city council.

Through Nov. 3, you can head to the Texas Medical Center to cast your ballot — and starting Saturday, Rice will provide bus service from campus. If you can’t make it by then, Sewall Hall will be a voting precinct for Election Day on Nov. 7.

Houston’s next set of elected officials will inherit the complex issues the city faces today, ranging from public safety to unemployment, potholes, transit and homelessness.

The largely Democratic city also faces immense political pressure from Republican Gov. Greg Abbott’s administration. The Texas Education Agency recently took over the board of the Houston Independent School District, turning some school libraries into de-facto detention centers, and Abbott continues to cynically target election administration in Harris County.

The stakes are high. Will Houston, the fourth-largest city in the country, adjust to its explosive population growth, or will its infrastructure give out? Will crime continue to decrease? Will the city build on its progress moving people off the streets? Will

a proposed light rail link to Hobby Airport come to fruition? Will Main Street and Rice Boulevard get their potholes repaired?

The future of Rice is irrevocably intertwined with Houston. Rice can only afford so many power losses, boil water

You, a Houston voter, have a lot of decisions to make. Even if this election season may not have the attention as next year’s presidential election, the issues at hand are just as important. notices and guns on the street. Our cars can only take so many of those violent bumps.

On the mayoral side, incumbent Sylvester Turner is term-limited, with 18 candidates vying to replace him. The two leading candidates are household names in Houston: John Whitmire, a 40-year Texas

State Senator from North Houston, and Sheila Jackson Lee, who has represented downtown Houston in the U.S. Congress since 1995.

If your Texas voter registration address is on campus, you will also vote for the city council member from District C, where incumbent Abbie Kamin is facing two challengers.

All Houstonians will cast a ballot for the five at-large council members. There are two incumbents and 26 other candidates.

Finally, there are local and statewide ballot propositions regarding hospitals for low-income and uninsured Houstonians, government operations, funding for public education and more.

In other words, you, a Houston voter, have a lot of decisions to make. Even if this election season may not have the attention of next year’s presidential election, the issues at hand are just as important.

Luckily, there is a plethora of information out there. This week, take 30 minutes to research the candidates and propositions and write down your choices. Head to the polls and make your voice heard. The future of Houston — and of Rice — depends on it.

OPINION

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.

We feel compelled to raise concerns about this year’s NOD theme due to its troubling sexist undertones. The phrase “Cum on Barbie” used in the theme fundamentally distorts the female empowerment that the movie “Barbie” aims to convey. By replacing “come” with “cum,” the phrase deviates from the original meaning, which was to extend a party invite to Barbie. Rather, it diminishes Barbie’s autonomy and reduces her to an object designed solely to satisfy the cisgender heterosexual male’s desire. Such language reinforces heteronormativity and perpetuates harmful gender stereotypes.

Given that the theme was chosen through a college-wide majority vote after nomination, it prompts us to question whether the Wiess College Cabinet and members have fully considered the implications, though we believe they have no bad intentions. We understand that it can be challenging to craft an attention-grabbing theme, but we are confident that this can be done without causing offense. Looking through all past NOD themes from 1972 to 2022, we noted that while many themes have sexual allusions, none explicitly objectify people based on their gender to the extent that “Cum on Barbie” does. Searching on Google with some relevant keywords, it is evident that the verb come / cum itself applies to all genders, but cum on is predominantly, if not exclusively, hegemonized — in linguistic, visual, and overall narrative terms — with a male subject and a female object. In a sense, whoever is represented by Barbie is the female object here.

You might want to ask, is this issue worth thinking about that much? Are we just being too sensitive and wasting our time and energy on what might seem like a minor concern?

Editor’s Note: This guest opinion has been cut off for print. Read the full article at ricethresher.org.

Ariana Zhu

MCMURTRY COLLEGE SENIOR

Yiyi Yang

LOVETT COLLEGE SENIOR

OPINION

The better way to distribute publics tickets As I sit at my desk, refreshing the Google Form for tickets to Night of Decadence, the annual Wiess College public party, I think to myself that there has got to be a better way to do this.

Over the past couple years, tickets for publics have been distributed mostly through first-come, first-served Google Forms. These have been, to put it lightly, a mess. People sit hunched over their computer, mashing the refresh button repeatedly until Google finally stops serving them the “too many requests” message. Then, a hurried, typofilled form is submitted, and the wait begins again as people wait to receive their confirmation message after traffic dies down again. Did this agonizing experience even grant a ticket? You won’t know for many more hours.

While this process for ticket distribution can be entertaining fuel for

the college group chats to gripe about, it is not optimal. Using one specific ticket distribution time results in multiple negative consequences.

First, it creates confusing technical situations where people don’t know if their request was even submitted. As the NOD ticket distribution showed, even after submitting their form, Google’s overloaded servers will still tell the user that the form is receiving too many requests. One cannot be sure if theirs went through, unless they’re willing to resubmit and resubmit for another dozen minutes. This creates both intense anxiety about the process on the attendee end, but also anxiety on the side of the socials committees. Every public is a carnival of stress as students have to troubleshoot Google forms that are already being bombarded with hundreds of requests, while simultaneously fanning the

flames of anger coming at them from their friends and classmates.

Second, the use of first-come, first-served Google Forms hurts anyone who happens to be busy at the time of ticket release. Working a job? In the middle of an exam? Listening to a lecture with a professor who will dock points for using an electronic device? Any of these situations ensure that a student simply cannot get a ticket to a public.

Editor’s Note: This guest opinion has been cut off for print. Read the full article at ricethresher.org.

Spencer Powers BROWN COLLEGE SENIOR

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

Letters to the Editor must be received by 5 p.m. on the Friday prior to publication and must be signed, including college and year if the writer is a Rice student. The Thresher reserves the right to edit letters for content and length and to place letters on its website.

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 Email: thresher@rice.edu Website: www.ricethresher.org The Thresher is a member of the ACP, TIPA, CMA and CMBAM. © Copyright 2023

CORRECTIONS In “Andrew Sendejo talks NIL, brain health and doing his part,” the illustrator was Hai-Van Hoang for the Thresher.

ricethresher.org

6 • WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2023

THE RICE THRESHER

Celebrating 50 years of Night of Decadence LAJWARD ZAHRA

“We hope that the students of Wiess College will carefully consider if it is a FOR THE THRESHER good idea to continue sponsoring this While the atmosphere prior to Night event,” the Sawyers wrote in the letter.

The letter resulted in the formation of Decadence is always animated, this year’s energy is different: It will be the of a Student Association committee that 50th anniversary of Rice’s arguably best determined that safety changes were known public. While event-goers look into needed. These changes included stricter grabbing hot pink outfits for this year’s alcohol policies and the removal of “Cum on Barbie, let’s get NODy” theme, decorations like “Sparky,” a papier-mâché the Thresher will go over the history of the phallus that existed as the unofficial mascot of the event — although Sparky will event.

While themes were added to Night of return for the 50th anniversary, according Decadences in 1976, NOD started in 1972 to the Wiess socials committee.

In 2012, NOD underwent additional when a group of Wiessmen poured all the alcohol they had on hand into a bathtub. scrutiny when 11 students were hospitalized A previous history of NOD article describes due to drinking complications, nine of this as “a night of drunken debauchery” whom were underage. In response, the Student Association where “NOD was created a student born.” Since 1976, forum to discuss themes like “Fall drinking culture of Rome” (’76), In the past, I know it was on campus, Armageddon and the dean of (1982), The Wizard just a party about sex, but undergraduates at of NOD (1999) and the mentality has shifted the time convened Viva Nod Vegas: Go with our generation Alcohol All In (2010) have toward body positivity and the Policy Advisory set the ambiance sex positivity.

C o m m i t t e e . for the night.

U l t i m a t e l y, NOD underwent America Salas restrictions on hard more changes after WIESS COLLEGE SOCIALS alcohol were added 1999. Will Rice COMMITTEE MEMBER to the Rice Alcohol College’s magisters at the time, Dale and Elise P. Sawyer, sent Policy, along with redefining private out a letter to then-Wiess College president gatherings and a ban on drinking games Ethan Schultz regarding concerns over involving hard alcohol.

Former Wiess President Varun alcohol consumption and sexual assault.

The letter was signed by the magisters Kukunoor (’22) observed that the culture from Lovett, Hanszen, Baker and Jones of NOD has changed over the course of its history.

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“50 years ago, the fun aspect was the most important part of it,” Kukunoor said.

“Obviously, that’s still a very large part of it, but today Wiess takes a lot of pride and effort into making sure people explicitly feel comfortable, that there are resources available before NOD, after NOD and during NOD to make sure everyone knows that it’s a safe space to be.”

America Salas, a member of the Wiess socials committee, attributed the changes in safety and atmosphere at NOD throughout the years to a generational shift in ideas about sex.

“In the past, I know it was just a party about sex, but the mentality has shifted with our generation toward body positivity and sex positivity,” Salas, a Wiess junior, said. “I think it’s safer now.

Compared to other publics, NOD has more caregivers and security, which has 40 slots per shift.”

Salas said the socials committee considered themes alluding to the 50th anniversary, but ultimately settled on “Cum on Barbie, let’s get NODy.” Salas

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COURTESY THRESHER ARCHIVES NOD attendees party in the Acabowl, 2000. The party shifted from its explicit themes that year in response to the 1999 letter from the Will Rice College magisters.

said the Barbie theme is in line with NOD’s goals of body positivity.

“It is kind of hard to celebrate anniversaries when media and consumerism win,” Salas said.

“Barbie is a great theme that goes along with body positivity. I just hope people don’t take it wrong and be misogynistic.

It can definitely be interpreted that way, and that’s why we’re trying to make sure it’s not and focus on empowerment.”

1 What a magician might ask you to do 10 Some coffee shop orders 12 Halloween decorations 14 Very small 15 UCLA rival 16 Actor Damon 18 Shrimp, in a sushi restaurant 19 Stringed instrument 20 Apiece 21 One who helps you pick courses during O-Week, perhaps 22 “__ ___ means!”

24 Understand 25 Place of peace and quiet, or the name of a California city 28 Language spoken in Sri Lanka 31 Portugal’s capital, to natives 32 NYC Chinatown’s unofficial Main St 33 Turns in again, as an assignment 37 Filipina beauty queen Wurtzbach 40 Change direction 41 Toto, to Dorothy 44 NBC sketch show 45 Works hard 46 Body spray often associated with high school locker rooms 47 Performed 50 Furtively moved 52 Nightmarish tales 58 Ill-fated, as lovers 59 The human body, for one

DOWN

1 Slightly, on a score 2 “Gross!”

3 Ravenclaw student Chang 4 “Get Out” actor Daniel 5 49th state 6 Boycotts a problematic one, perhaps 7 Letters on some letters 8 GPS suggestion, abbr.

9 Prefix meaning “skin” 10 Lunatics 11 Answers sharply 12 Houston Rockets player 13 Braces (oneself) 14 Kathmandu’s country 17 Means of trick prevention 22 Prejudices 23 Puts a cap on 26 Shorten, for short 27 One who takes action 29 Bank offering 30 Elevs.

34 Web address, for short 35 !!!

36 Coffee holder 37 Helpful ad, perhaps 38 Rainfall measure 39 Some choir members 41 Summoned with a beeper 42 Former lovers 43 Texas senator theorized to be the Zodiac Killer 48 Art Deco artist 49 Fanged figure, briefly 50 Gaelic language 51 Carpe ____ 53 “___ y plata” (Montana’s motto) 54 Pepsi alternatives 55 “my b” 56 Disclaimers that users often don’t read 57 Movie music, for short

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2023 • 7

FEATURES

Philosophers go head to head on gender COURTESY HOUSTON INSTITUTE

Quiet country life: best ways to take a rustication vacation AMELIA DAVIS

FOR THE THRESHER

want, and how they should behave — what they have a right to, based on their actual or presumed personal biological The question of what it means to be a properties.”

In the spirit of the HI’s values, Antony woman is one of the most hotly disputed topics at the moment: Documentaries, said she hoped to keep her discussion research papers, books and hours of with Byrne civil.

“I think there’s a big appetite outside YouTube videos have been made on the subject. On the evening of Oct. 16, about [academia] for reasoned, respectful 100 people — both Rice students and the discussion of controversial topics, and I greater Houston community — poured hope that Alex Byrne and I modeled that into the Hudspeth Auditorium in the to some extent,” Antony said. “Debate Glasscock School of Continuing Studies needn’t be adversarial, and at its best is an to watch two philosophers debate gender excellent way to think things through.”

Byrne noted that such debates often and philosophy in a discussion titled do become antagonistic, which he said “Ontology of Gender.”

The event was organized by the can discourage people from talking about Houston Institute, an independent difficult topics.

“Everyone’s asking about sex and academic non-profit whose mission is to “help the people of Rice University think gender these days, but all too often people are inhibited from deeply about the saying what they best way to live.” think, for fear of The two giving offense or speakers were Everyone’s asking about Byrne said.

Louise Antony, a sex and gender these days, worse,” “I don’t think there professor emerita was much inhibition at University of but all too often people at the debate, M a s s a c h u s e t t s are inhibited from saying partly because the A m h e r s t what they think.

Institute set a very researching civil tone from the f e m i n i s t Alex Byrne start. p h i l o s o p h y , MIT PROFESSOR OF PHILOSOPHY Byrne said that and Alex Byrne, a professor of philosophy at the he hoped the debate would encourage Massachusetts Institute of Technology other philosophers to interact with those who disagree with them. researching perception, sex and gender.

“It’s always a pleasure for me to talk to Antony argues for a more complex approach viewing gender as a social Louise Antony about these issues, because construction. In his recent research, I can learn from her disagreement,” Byrne Byrne takes the position that a woman is said. “Disappointingly, philosophers an “adult human female,” a phrase that rarely participate in many activists consider a dogwhistle events of this sort, where opposing views against transgender women.

“We don’t need to mention the word on sex and gender can ‘ontology’ or the word ‘gender,’” Byrne be freely discussed. I’m said. “This event is about categories: keen to do my part to change this.” women, man, girl, boy.”

Attendee Jack Miller The debate was organized by Victor Saenz, a lecturer in the Philosophy said that people from department at Rice teaching courses in across the political philosophy of religion and ancient Greek spectrum went to the philosophy. He also serves as the full- discussion.

“There was a mix of time executive director of the Houston people in attendance Institute.

“People often have a hard time having at the debate and the deep conversations across ideological general view was split lines,” Saenz said. “People don’t get a lot between the more of opportunity and exposure to engage conservative and the in serious conversations where there is more liberal view,” drastic disagreement. One of HI’s values is Miller, a Sid Richardson sophomore, precisely to promote this culture in a spirit College said. “There was one of friendship.”

Antony opened her statement with a lady in particular sitting personal anecdote from her childhood. behind me who didn’t As a child, she said she sent in a postcard do a very good job at and won a Tyrannosaurus Rex model kit maintaining the calm by answering a quiz question from a local spirit of intellectual children’s television show, but was denied discourse, and she her prize when the host found out that the made a couple of rude comments. But besides kit was going to a girl.

“The host said, ‘That’s not a good prize that, everyone engaged for a girl, we’re going to send you a Shirley well and it shows that Temple doll instead,’” Antony said. there is a positive “This is what gender is about. Gender is spirit for discourse, a socially determined set of expectations especially amongst Rice about what people are like, what they students.”

JAHNAVI MAHAJAN

FOR THE THRESHER

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.

Channel the stress of ongoing midterms into writing absolutely filthy and heated slash starring your professors. Publish to Fizz, tagged appropriately.

Work your way up through the student projection crew ranks; with your senior status and trusted position, lock the Rice Cinema doors and force a trapped audience to watch that treasured film, “Shrek but everytime he steps it gets 5% faster,” a minimum of three times.

Reroute Baker 13 to streak through Fondren, or kidnap the designated ID holders so that those brave souls are stuck outside, slowly shedding shaving cream.

Purposefully mistake an inner loop jogger for President Reggie DesRoches and form a flash mob of hecklers to race him.

Stage an athlete-led boycott protest against deathly-dry chicken breast so disruptive that West Servery has to close down right before the noon lunch rush.

Start a pyramid scheme from your suite buying out and reselling all the shaving cream within a fivemile radius the night before Baker 13. Alternatively, start a business where you buy out and then DON’T

resell the shaving cream; people pay you to hoard it in order to undermine Bakerites, or pay extra for the service of replacing it with Nair and selling it to that special someone (their archnemesis).

Do you still bear lingering resentment about not getting to the sundeck at a public? If so, expressing your frustration by chucking something off the Duncan or McMurtry College decks could help you experience some catharsis. We absolutely do not suggest considering the following projectiles: pumpkins (to get into the Halloween spirit), your general chemistry textbook (post-midterm) or your roommate’s phone after they keep you up until the wee hours of the morning with a loud conversation.

In the ’90s, the coolest way to get threatened with rustication was to explore the 2.5 miles of steam tunnels underneath campus. Bring this classic back, but raise the stakes by watching “The Descent” immediately before and trying to fit yourself into any available open pipes.

You could also revisit a classic, the beloved legend disseminated among incoming Orientation Week groups: running through the Baker Hall fountain, popularly known as the rustication fountain. This one may also rusticate you from all Rice life, but would write your name in the campus history books for all of posterity.

These easily avoidable, though tempting, game plans should help you keep the goal of not getting rusticated clear in your mind. However, ponder this: If you avoid getting rusticated with too much caution, you may find yourself living the rusticated lifestyle despite never breaking a rule. Perhaps steer clear of these more extreme schemes, but don’t shy away from every opportunity for a good jack.

HAI-VAN HOANG / THRESHER

8 • WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2023

THE RICE THRESHER

ktru debuts spooky Halloween show

NDIDI NWOSU / THRESHER

CHIARA MORETTI

FOR THE THRESHER 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.

The live concert will showcase two bands, Orion 224 and Jump Rope.

According to Pierce and Rachel Rosenthal, ktru’s small concerts director, both bands are indie rock groups from Houston. Pierce said he is particularly thrilled to include Orion 224 in the show and played a key role in the decision to have them perform.

“I’ve been going to a lot of different local shows around the Houston scene …

Orion 224 is a band that I really like and has put on a lot of cool events,” Pierce, a Lovett College senior, said. “I feel like they just represent a super cool part of the

broadcasting [into Houston], in the same way this event is going to open to the community,” Pierce said.

In addition, Rosenthal said this event will be a great opportunity to form meaningful connections within the Rice community built off of shared interests and listening to “spooky, intense [and] loud” music together.

“Live music is a great way to meet people, and it’s a fun way to connect … It is a chill environment. No one has to pay, there’s free food,” Rosenthal said. “I think JENNIFER LIU / THRESHER it’s a great way to get into the Halloween spirit.” ktru will also be making and selling merchandise, such as t-shirts and crewnecks, at the event using on-site screen printing. This live creation will allow attendees to engage with the process of making their own merch.

Rosenthal said ktru members have made considerable effort to market the event through social media and physical Houston scene.” posters on campus with unique Though similar Halloween events and designs. activities have occurred in the past, Pierce “Making sure that the word and Rosenthal said this event is unique is out and that people know about it ... because of its emphasis on local music is the hardest part,” Rosenthal said. and connection to Houston.

Contacting “Expanding the the performers network of Houston and coordinating artists that we’re the various connected to is activities involved something that’s We’re broadcasting [into considerable effort, exciting about this Houston], in the same Pierce said concert,” Rosenthal, way this event is going to and Rosenthal was a a Duncan College open to the community. large part of the junior, said. event’s planning and ktru is also Keegan Pierce organization. targeting the LOVETT COLLEGE SENIOR “She has done Houston community a really great job to open this event to a wider audience. Fostering a sense of reaching out to the bands and getting this community will contribute to spreading all on track. She’s the glue that works in Halloween spirit throughout the Rice between administrators reserving the space and ktru getting the volunteers and campus, they said. “ktru is not just [for] Rice students, it setting up the promotion for the artists,” has a radio station that’s always playing Pierce said. “She has done a really great job out into the [Houston] community … we’re of connecting all of those webs together.”

Review: ‘Anatomy of a Fall’ tackles trauma ARMAN SAXENA

THRESHER STAFF

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.

The film follows Sandra Voyter (Huller), a well known author who is suspected of murdering her husband (Samuel Theis). The movie focuses on Voyter’s subsequent trial and how it affects her and the people around her, especially her pre-teenage son Daniel (Milo Machado Graner). The performances in this film are fantastic. Graner impressed with his turn as a child dealing with immense trauma.

His vulnerable portrayal is at times confused and despairing, at other points strong and determined.

Huller is one of the best actresses of her generation and delivers possibly the most remarkable work of her career in this film, playing a woman who is simultaneously so vulnerable and yet, in many ways, impenetrable. She is deeply human, yet her face remains stony, making the movie’s central murder mystery more

Halloween costume round-up PARKER BLUMENTRITT

THRESHER STAFF

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.

Groups and Couples If you and your friends, or your significant other, want to coordinate costumes this year, look no further.

A classic option that can be achieved by searching your own closet or thrifting is the Scooby Doo crew. Each group member can choose one of the five characters to create a recognizable yet simple costume, and you can even utilize this idea as a solo or couples costume as well.

Another fun group costume is Mario Party, as there are tons of recognizable characters to choose from. Wear red or green to go as Mario or Luigi, find a pink dress to be Princess Peach, dress in red and white for Toad or don purple if Waluigi is more your style.

If you want a couples costume that is recognizable but less common, be Wesley and Buttercup from “The Princess Bride.” Wear all black for Wesley and a flowy red dress to emulate Buttercup.

Another option for either a couple or a group is the iconic cast of characters from Heathers.

Whether you and your partner want to go as Veronica and JD or you and your friends want to dress up as the Heathers themselves, this costume is easy to make a reality.

Finally, if you enjoy more abstract costumes, try dressing up as your favorite food items or condiments.

Ketchup and mustard make a very cute pair in red and yellow, but there are tons more options to get creative with if you’d like to go this route.

Going Solo COURTESY NEON

compelling as a result. Her interactions with her husband are some of the film’s most indelible moments.

As much as this film is a mysterious legal drama, it is also a film about marriage and family. Triet and her partner, Arthur Harari, wrote the film’s screenplay together over the course of the pandemic lockdown, an experience that likely seeps into the film’s indepth discussion of relationships and marriage. Their screenplay is excellent, expertly juggling thrilling courtroom scenes and quieter character moments with ease.

Visually the film is never boring to watch. Triet clearly derives some

influence from the handheld cameraobsessed Dogme 95 film movement with the depiction of the media circus that surrounds Voyter’s trial, which stands in stark contrast to the sequences in the beautiful snowy countryside of rural France.

This is not a movie that provides easy answers. It questions the nature of truth itself, taking a step beyond ambiguity to ask whether truth is something worth pursuing. Should we decide our own truth — and do we have any choice but to? Triet traverses these questions in a way that is unwaveringly engaging and effortlessly weaves philosophical ideas into the fabric of a courtroom nailbiter.

If you want to strike out on your own this year, we’ve also got your back with some individual costume ideas.

Bored with being a cowboy every year but want an excuse to wear your cowboy hat? Go for the trendy space cowboy instead by adding glitter or metallics to your western look.

Have a blazer or anything tweed?

Turn the tables (or desks) and be a professor for Halloween. While it may seem less spooky at first glance, we’ve all had a professor that’s given us quite the scare.

If you are looking for a costume on the sweeter side of Halloween, try combining orange, yellow and white to go as the quintessential Halloween treat — candy corn.

Want to reuse your general chemistry lab coat? Let yourself become truly unhinged and go as a mad scientist.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2023 • 9

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Review: ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’ is monumental JAY COLLURA

THRESHER STAFF 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.

“Killers” follows Ernest Burkhart (Leonardo DiCaprio) as he returns from World War I and moves in with his uncle, William “King” Hale (Robert DeNiro). King lives among the Osage Nation, a Native American tribe that recently discovered oil on their land and has become the richest population per capita in the world as a result. As the film progresses, it becomes more apparent that King is not the friendly supporter he presents himself as, continually manipulating Ernest, his wife Mollie (Lily Gladstone) and the others around him.

While this set-up seems like it would evoke the violence and excitement that are commonplace in Scorsese’s other crime work, such as “Goodfellas” and “Casino,” the film’s power comes from its lack of either. Rather than making a flashy display of crime, the abhorrent actions of the characters are displayed as despicably as they actually happened. The look of the film is appropriately cold and distant, though laced with period-appropriate detail, and Scorsese’s legendary blocking

and camera movements serve to highlight obscenity rather than glorify it.

As the film progresses, each moment compounds itself, evoking a sense of horror, hopelessness and dread that complements Scorsese’s greater statements about greed and exploitation.

The audience is suffocated under the weight of the crimes, which both subverts the disposability associated with true crime stories in the digital age and allows the audience to question why this story has never been explored.

Of course, the film itself is a response to this question. A ruthless, uncaring population slowly creeps into the town of Fairfax, and the crimes central to the film are ignored until late into the long runtime, representing a general consensus of ignorance that existed both at the time of the story and today.

Scorsese is less concerned with the ‘whodunnit’ and more with displaying the full depravity of the situation and our collective silence in response. The film’s central romance also conveys this, as the warmth that begins the film slowly is extinguished, creating a melodramatic conclusion analogous to the political one.

While this incredibly bleak perspective makes “Killers” sound dreary, it is deservedly constructed in this way and is an essential movie to see because of this. Each of the three lead performances is absolutely stunning — DiCaprio and DeNiro ascend beyond their stardom and transform into their ruthless, cold and, in DiCaprio’s case, oblivious characters.

Gladstone is astonishing as well, portraying the simultaneous anguish and strength of the Osage people precisely.

The pacing is also not an issue despite the monstrous runtime, as the editing keeps each scene moving forward and ensures the audience is left with just enough mystery to stay transfixed on the film. Frankly, most two-and-a-half-hour movies feel longer than this one.

Every single detail of “Killers” is ultimately focused and operates

together to create an immense statement about American exploitation. Scorsese’s meditative style is perfected here, as the emptiness of the story and lack of excitement carefully evokes the grief central to the film. To be so in control of a project at 80 years old is monumental but unsurprising given the multitude of masterpieces Scorsese has created.

“Killers” stands out amongst these, not only in terms of quality but particularly in its pointed reflection and emotional weight.

COURTESY APPLE TV+

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

FOR THE THRESHER 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.

On Wednesday, Oct. 18, local Blackowned bookstore Kindred Stories hosted a talk with Gay and Rice English and Creative Writing professor Kiese Laymon.

Though Laymon dropped out before the talk due to health complications, an employee from Kindred Stories served as an interim moderator, speaking with Gay about her newest book, an essay anthology titled “Opinions: A Decade of Arguments, Criticism, and Minding Other

People’s Business.”

Gay opened her discussion by celebrating her mother, to whom she dedicated the book “Throughout my childhood, she had no qualms about expressing her opinions, and proudly so,” Gay said. “It always was astonishing to me that she didn’t care, that she stood up for everything that was right and every opportunity that she could. And to see someone do that as an immigrant — and we were in Omaha, Nebraska for the most part — it took a lot of courage to do that.”

Gay said her mother encouraged her and her two brothers to speak their minds, especially during family time around the dinner table. She and Gay’s father listened intently as their children spoke about their days at school.

“They took us seriously, and they took our opinions seriously,” Gay said. “And

MUNA NNAMANI / THRESHER Roxane Gay (right) spoke about her new essay anthology titled “Opinions: A Decade of Arguments, Criticism, and Minding Other People’s Business” at Kindred Stories Oct. 18.

“There are worse things than missing that was certainly the foundation for the moment, because the world will go on deciding, ‘Why not share my opinions?’”

This is exactly what she sought to do in without you sharing your thoughts on this “Opinions,” a series of nonfiction essays thing,” Gay said. “Just because something from over the course of 10 years. Gay isn’t said on social media doesn’t mean covers topics from culture wars to modern that people aren’t having conversations, feminism in the same honest voice that perhaps in more intimate settings.”

She emphasized the importance made her previous books classics for of being willing to learn and having disillusioned young people.

Gay said she sidestepped working on the humility to stay quiet until you her main project at the time, a book now understand what is actually happening.

“I have gotten more hate mail in the set to come out in 2025, to compile her best essays into “Opinions.” Topics like past 10 days for not saying anything [about the Israelfeminism and racism Hamas war] – even are recurring themes though I actually throughout all her have said plenty – work, and she said A lot of people ask me, than I’ve ever gotten she will continue in my whole life,” to write about them ‘How do I find my voice?’

Gay said. “It has because “bigotry is I’m like, ‘You don’t have actually just made repetitive.” to go anywhere. It’s me double down, “I just think you so to speak: No, I’m get to a point where already there. You just not going to say the you see so many have to sort of get out of wrong thing, and young people — and more importantly, sometimes not so your own way.’ the uninformed young people — Roxane Gay thing.” being brutalized, Instead of harmed, often AUTHOR attempting social killed and leaving a wake of destruction behind in those media activism, Gay said she has been communities,” Gay said, “that you have to reading books about the history of Israeli say, ‘Enough. Let’s stop trying to appease and Palestinian relations, recommending “My Promised Land” by Ari Shavit. moderates.’”

“Whenever something happens When the talk opened to questions from the audience, Gay was asked how to internationally, I traditionally say, ‘That’s form and share strong opinions. Her main not really my area of expertise,’” Gay said. advice was altering the inner monologue “Last Sunday, I thought, ‘Well, no it isn’t, keeping us from expressing our thoughts but you can actually do something about it.’ So I went and got some books and am — changing “why me?” to “why not?”

“A lot of people ask me, ‘How do I find trying to learn more.”

“The way that I recommend that people my voice?’” Gay said. “I’m like, ‘You don’t have to go anywhere. It’s already there. sort of help make the world a better place You just have to sort of get out of your own is at the community level,” Gay added later. “Look for mutual aid organizations way.’”

While Gay emphasized the importance or local nonprofits that have good track of sharing strong opinions, she records of knowing how to spend the acknowledged that there are specific money that they get, and see how you can times and places where it is appropriate contribute to their efforts. Because almost everything begins at the local level.” to do so.

10 • WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2023

THE RICE THRESHER

FROM FRONT PAGE

to make the score 14-10, cutting the Owls’ lead to four. The Rice offense responded on their next possession.

Recovering the ball near midfield, Daniels completed four out of his five Daniels and his offense took advantage pass attempts, scoring on a 17-yard of the field position and scored after touchdown pass to freshman wide Daniels connected with redshirt junior receiver Landon Ransom-Goelz as the Owls took a 21-10 wide receiver lead into the half.

Luke McCaffrey Bloomgren on a 32-yard applauded his touchdown to That’s what dreams are defense for put the Owls up forcing several 14-0. McCaffrey, made of and that’s how turnovers and who recorded you close out games. stopping the his seventh Tulsa offense. touchdown of the Mike Bloomgren “The three season Thursday FOOTBALL HEAD COACH turnovers in night, now ranks second in the American Athletic the first half, and really four if you count that fourth-down stop, that was Conference in receiving touchdowns.

The Owls’ defense continued to everything we emphasized,” Bloomgren stymie the Tulsa offense throughout the said. “When you get a result that we did first quarter after recording their third today, that is very rewarding. That’s turnover of the game when redshirt why the game was what it was. That’s junior outside linebacker Josh Pearcy why the game was 21-10 at halftime, sacked the Tulsa signal caller to force because of those three turnovers.”

The Owls continued their offensive another fumble. Despite getting the ball back, the Owls did not capitalize on the and defensive domination into the third turnover, ending the quarter with a 14-0 quarter as they gained 166 offensive yards while holding the Golden advantage.

Tulsa kicked a field goal on their Hurricane’s offense to just nine. The second possession of the quarter. Owls’ defense forced two three-and-outs Failing to respond to Tulsa’s first score in the quarter, while the Owls’ offense of the game, the Owls’ offense punted constructed two separate touchdown drives that resulted in an eight yard the ball on their next possession.

With the momentum swinging Daniels rushing touchdown and a two slightly toward the Golden Hurricanes, yard Connors rushing touchdown, Tulsa used several chunk plays, giving the Owls a 35-10 advantage to including a 30-yard passing touchdown end the quarter.

TULSA

The Tulsa offense attempted to construct a scoring drive at the beginning of the fourth quarter before the Owls’ defense forced a Tulsa punt.

The Owls’ responded with a drive that culminated in a 10 yard Connors rushing touchdown to put the Owls up 42-10. A three-and-out by the Golden Hurricanes on their next drive secured the Owls’ victory.

Bloomgren said he was satisfied with how his offense closed out the game.

“The other thing that I am super proud of is this offense getting the ball at the minus 4 and having a 14 play, nine minute 56 second drive,” Bloomgren

said. “That’s what dreams are made of and that’s how you close out games.”

Next up, the Owls host No. 22 Tulane University, the defending Cotton Bowl champion, Saturday, Oct. 28 at Rice Stadium with the Owls kicking off at 3 p.m. The game will broadcast on ESPN2.

Despite this big win against a conference opponent, Taylor said he is aware of the challenge that lies ahead and is eager for more success.

“We are of course excited, but we are definitely not satisfied,” Taylor said.

“We want more. We are just ready for Tulane next week. It’s a big game, a big challenge, but we are ready for it.”

COURTESY MARK MOORE — RICE ATHLETICS Junior running back Dean Connors leaps in for a touchdown against the University of Tulsa on Thursday evening. The Rice Owls defeated the Golden Hurricanes 42-10 to move to 4-3 on the season.

Hold your Mustangs: Volleyball stumped by SMU DIEGO PALOS RODRIGUEZ

ASST. SPORTS EDITOR

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.

The Mustangs got off to a hot start in the first set and maintained their lead to win it 25-23, despite a Rice 9-4 rally. The second set proved to be more competitive for both teams, but the Owls were able to take it after sparking another run of points. The same intensity continued in the third set but with the opposite result,

EDITORIAL CARTOON

seeing SMU taking a 2-1 lead overall. The Owls could not hang on to the streaking Mustangs in the fourth set, trailing by nine points at one point. SMU took the set to clinch their victory and win their first match against the Owls this last weekend.

Despite the result, the Owls led or were tied in every statistical category except aces and blocks, which Head Coach Genny Volpe believes played a huge role in the loss of this tight game.

“On Friday, we actually won every statistical category except for reception and blocks in a smaller margin,” Volpe said. “I think if we had not given away

“Owl-American”

“I thought we were good...”

It all led to an anticipated fifth set that so many points in serve-and-receive, we was less than competitive. SMU took an would’ve actually won the match.”

According to sophomore libero Gaby early lead and comfortably held off the Mansfield, given their previous loss to Owls for a 15-10 win, giving the game to Florida Atlantic University, the team is SMU and extending Rice’s losing streak taking on a new mentality when dropping to three.

Courtley led the team in kills with 24 sets in games like this.

“Our mentality following last week’s followed by Weske with 18. Once again, matches is determination,” Mansfield the Owls led in every category except said. “We know we are in a tight spot aces and blocks. According to Volpe, this was a gritty match at the moment that could have but this gives us gone either way. an opportunity to “It was a show our fight and dogfight,” Volpe show what Rice It was a dogfight. A complete battle with two said, “a complete Volleyball is.” battle with two This mentality really good teams that really good teams helped turn the could’ve gone either way, that could’ve gone Owls’ struggles either way, but around to start but unfortunately, we unfortunately, we the second game. had a slow start in set had a slow start in Despite a close five which we could not set five which we first set, graduate could not recover right-side hitter recover from. from.”

Emilia Weske and Genny Volpe The Owls now sit senior outside WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL HEAD COACH in third place in the hitter Danyle Courtley each recorded five kills to push West division of the AAC and are tied for the Owls to a 25-23 win. The intensity fourth in the overall AAC standings. SMU continued into the second set where the is first in both.

Despite the losing streak, Volpe insists Owls trailed by six at one point, but made their way back to extend the set into a that the team continues to be motivated tiebreaker. Rice, however, conceded a and is making efforts to fix their mistakes kill and an ace at the end to fall 26-24, from this weekend.

“Although it was a tough weekend, tying up the game at one set apiece.

Rice left SMU chasing for most of the there’s still a lot of volleyball left to third set, maintaining a lead despite play,” Volpe said. “I know this team is making and conceding runs throughout extremely motivated to be great and will the set. Consistent kills from Courtley get back to work this upcoming week and senior outside hitter Sahara and look to make some changes that will Maruska, however, ensured a third-set allow us to be better.”

The Owls come back home to play East win for the Owls. The fourth set was just as tight for both teams, being neck-and- Carolina University on Friday, Oct. 27 at neck up until the end when the Mustangs 4:30 p.m. and host Temple University on broke away for a three-point set win, Sunday, Oct. 29 at 1 p.m. Both games will be streamed on ESPN+. once again tying the game.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2023 • 11

SPORTS COLUMN

We’ve been at war with Tulane Albuquerque talks childhood KATHLEEN ORTIZ

THRESHER STAFF

JENNIFER LIU / THRESHER

At first glance, it might seem University of Southern California team misleading to describe the relationship that embarrassed Rice to start that between the Rice Owls and the Tulane season. Further, Tulane enters this Green Wave as a significant rivalry. The game nationally ranked No. 22 in the Oct. 28 contest at Rice Stadium will be Associated Press poll.

Rice is 1-31 against nationally ranked the two teams’ first meeting since 2013, and the pair have shared a conference teams since 1998, but that one win was for only nine of their over-100 seasons recent, against No. 15 ranked Marshall University in of football. One 2020. Rice is would not expect certainly capable such a mid-season of defeating matchup to be Rice is certainly capable Tulane Saturday, especially worthy but not without of anticipation. In of defeating Tulane playing at the reality, however, Saturday, but not without absolute extreme there is every playing at the absolute of their ability. reason for Owls extreme of their ability.

In the process, fans to await this they have the Saturday with In the process, they have opportunity to the opportunity to ignite intrigue. ignite a feud and Rice’s budding a feud and cement a new cement a new era feud with the era of Owl football as of Owl football Green Wave is one as promised of precious few promised by Sept. 9’s by Sept.

9’s historic enmities in victory over the University victory over the which the Owls may of Houston.

University of be able to maintain the series lead. Since the pair’s first Houston.

So, what’s making this gridiron clash in 1916 — Rice’s fourth year of football — the Owls have led 9,000-undergraduate school so good at the rivalry 20-15-1, winning six of nine football, and what can Rice do to stop it? The key is Tulane’s offense. It helps conference contests from 2005 to 2013.

On the other hand, every other foe that the Green Wave have two returning from Rice’s 1916 season either leads First Team All-AAC offensive linemen, the Owls in the series, in the cases of along with a quarterback who, coming the University of Texas, Texas A&M into the season, lead returning AAC University and Southern Methodist field generals in passing touchdowns.

University, or have not played them This hasn’t let up in 2023, with Michael since the Truman administration, such Pratt boasting a 70.8% completion rate and 185.63 passer rating. as Southwestern University.

Rice has not struggled against the Rice’s historic enemies from the Southwest Conference have generally pass this season, allowing seven fewer outpaced the Owls in football since passing touchdowns than they have the 1960s, commanding larger athletic scored and netting 77.3 yards in the budgets and a wider alumni pool to air per game over their opponents; all draw on for recruiting resources. While efforts should be made to limit Tulane’s the rivalries the Owls have forged more effectiveness in the air.

Where the Owls have struggled, recently in the Conference USA and now the American Athletic Conference and where the Green Wave’s superior are certainly more competitive, Rice offensive line will be a serious problem, has little historically, geographically or is in stopping the run. Rice averages academically in common with many of 48.9 fewer rushing yards per game than their opponents, and Tulane has a these schools.

Taking these issues into account, running back core solid enough to take Tulane has the makeup of a perfect advantage of this weakness, with their prospective long-term rival. They are a first three options averaging 5.2 yards similarly-sized university in very much per carry.

If the Owls can curb the Green Wave’s the same part of the country with not dissimilar athletic woes, having the offensive potency, and cut down on same number of NCAA team national turnovers when they get the ball, Rice championships as the Owls: one. Just as Stadium may see the beginning of a Rice has a lopsided rivalry with Texas, beautiful enmity this Saturday at 3 p.m.

Tulane has gone 41 years without a win against Louisiana State University.

This is not at all to say that Tulane Landry Wood is a pushover team. In fact, the Green THRESHER STAFF Wave’s football fortunes have been high of late. They finished 2022 as 12-2 AAC Champions and went on to win the Cotton Bowl against the same

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.

Albuquerque was more than 4,500 miles away from her home, but she could see her twin sister Isabel Albuquerque waving a flag of their parents’ native Portugal. Coming from London, the Portuguese twins have no relatives in Houston except each other.

Isabel, an architecture major at the University of Houston, continued to hold the flag high as Catarina scored the goal.

The crowd erupted into cheers and the soccer team rushed to celebrate their victory with Catarina.

“I knew if I missed it, [the shootout] would continue, so I was like ‘I have to score,’” Catarina said. “My favorite photo is from that moment when I scored. I turned around [to my teammates] and jumped and that’s just pure emotion.”

Now, it’s three years later and Catarina has played in 74 games and logged a total of 5,844 minutes for the Rice women’s soccer team. She plays the six, a defensive midfield position, and holds the title of captain. Catarina credits her family for being supportive since she was a little girl, but her parents hadn’t seen her play inperson for Rice until this week.

“I think especially my dad [is supportive],” Catarina said. “He drove me from school to practice like every other day. … I think that’s the biggest thing that [my parents] gave me: the opportunity to actually train and play at the high level that I did.”

Catarina began playing soccer in London at the age of four on an all-boys team coached by her best friend’s dad. She grew to love the game, even sleeping with a soccer ball each night.

“I actually remember the day I got scouted for my first girls team,” Catarina said. “I think I scored a really insane goal or something and then the game ended and I went to my dad and he was like ‘Oh my God, this scout just came up to me and asked for your name and stuff.’ I was so excited.”

Catarina’s dad, Victor Albuquerque, became her chauffeur and biggest supporter as she continued to improve as a soccer player. According to Catarina, her dad likes to say he would have gone pro if not for a severe knee injury. However, Catarina just knows him as the man who would do anything to help her reach her own soccer goals.

When Catarina was 11 years old, she earned a spot on an Arsenal Ladies, now known as Arsenal Academy, team after her second year of trying out for the elite club.

Her parents had a teacher call her out of class and bring her to a phone, so that they could personally congratulate her.

“I always wanted to make it pro,” Catarina said. “I think when I got into Arsenal, that was the turning point of like,

‘Wow, like I can actually do this.’”

From there, soccer became more serious for her. Victor would drive at least two hours to get his daughter to practice, and then three to four hours to get her to games. Since he worked from home he would take work calls on the way to and from practices each week. Catarina would sit in the backseat and do her homework.

“I like to say I’m grateful that I was pretty good in school,” Catarina said. “I didn’t really have to go extra and try super super hard. It kind of just came to me. But I definitely remember studying in the car, and doing my homework in the car and everything.”

Catarina said that Isabel is the one who saved her during high school. Catarina continued to play for Arsenal Academy and her age group of the Portugal National team while she was in high school. She would leave school to go straight to soccer and only get home around 9 p.m., without the time to do a lot, if any homework.

“It was hard for me as well sometimes in school,” Isabel said. “She was really busy, so I’d be the one staying home, doing the homework and then, like, helping out on it.”

Nonetheless, the sisters continued to help each other out and stick together.

When Catarina decided that the best way to continue her soccer career and work toward her goal of playing for the Portugal National team was to come to the United States, Isabel began to look at schools in the U.S. as well.

“We quite like putting ourselves out of our comfort zone and traveling to new places, learning about new cultures,” Isabel said. “I think she always dreamt of it, and then at the same time we found a program that was really suited for me.”

Together, Catarina and Isabel moved to Houston from London. The 2020 fall semester was the first time they were going to different schools. Catarina is a sports management and sports medicine major whose career goals include working in the front office of a professional soccer team.

Despite their busy schedules and the fact that neither has a car here, they try to meet up at least once a month.

“It was nice to know that we could come to the same city, or we’d still be together, but we could also grow independently,” Isabel said. “That’s just something I feel like a lot of twins probably struggle with: When is the right time to start your own path?”

They visit their family at home for the Christmas and summer holidays, but in Houston they only have each other. On Saturday Oct. 21, though, the girls’ parents and two younger siblings flew in to watch Catarina play. They will also be in town Thursday, Oct. 26 for senior night.

“It’s nice that they can all come down, because I feel like by doing that, not only are we proud to be like, ‘Aw, our parents can support us in that way,’ but they are also proud of her being able to achieve this milestone,” Isabel said. “Obviously college is not easy and the fact that she does college and soccer at the same time, that obviously is a really big achievement in itself.”

KATHLEEN ORTIZ / THRESHER Senior midfielder Catarina Albuquerque celebrates after a goal. Albuquerque discusses her unique story from growing up in London to playing soccer as a Rice Owl

12 • WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2023

BACKPAGE

30th Anniversary Gala Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy Thursday, October 26, 2023 6:00 pm — Reception 7:00 pm — Dinner James A. Baker III Hall, Rice University Black Tie • Valet Parking

Guests of Honor The Honorable Henry Kissinger 56th Secretary of State

The Honorable James A. Baker, III 61st Secretary of State

The Honorable Hillary Rodham Clinton 67th Secretary of State

Norah O’Donnell Managing Editor and Anchor of “CBS Evening News with Norah O’Donnell”

The Baker Institute is excited to announce four new contribution tiers, specially designed to expand gala attendance to Rice undergraduates who still need handouts to make something of themselves.

We hope these improvements to accessibility alleviate ongoing student concerns regarding the invited guests of the event.

NEW Gala Levels of Support and Benefits $1,000 — True Activist •

• •

Two seats at table in back row with complimentary bowl of rotten tomatoes for throwing pleasure • Note: Table will be located a minimum of 100 feet away from Guests of Honor, among Attaché tier guests who signed Tomato Proximity Waiver • If either attendee is found to be part of football team, Guests of Honor are at liberty to call “Time out!” and confiscate tomatoes • Alternatively, if either attendee is found to be Democratic Socialist or worse, tomatoes will be confiscated and pitched at them by Henry Kissinger’s security detail firing-squad style Each guest may bring one verified protest sign, max. size 8.5’’ x 11” You don’t really care about international injustice unless you buy this one

$250 — Public Servant / All-Access Pass • • • •

•

$500 — Involved Participant • • • • •

One seat along your selection from the Southeast Rear or Southwest Rear tent walls Permitted to observe dinner from afar, but no eating or talking— guests will be instructed to ignore South walls One direct question submission to moderator Norah O’Donnell, which she can decide to ask or not One drink brought by a waiter to a Guest of Honor that they point and say is from you Designated Baker Institute representative who will listen to your concerns and assure you they will be considered by the Board of Advisors and stimulate informed debate

Access to three-course meal, which you will bring from kitchen to guests Access to fancy napkins and complimentary bathroom, where you can hand them out to people after they wash their hands Access to selection of high-end vehicles, driven to and from valet parking spaces Access to mainstage during dinner, where you can perform merry trick • Note: Access to above amenities is contingent on level of boisterous laughter from guests provoked by said merry trick • Pointy hat and shoes with bells will be provided Access to finished plates you can lick leftovers off of after conclusion of gala

$100 — Great Value Package • • • •

Designated 2’ x 1.5’ standing room square outside of James A. Baker III Hall tent Commemorative, vertically captured photograph of Guests of Honor from distant audience perspective to post on your Instagram story Small jar containing air from tent interior Discarded gala programs, while supplies last

The Backpage is the satire section of the Thresher, written this week by Ndidi Nwosu, Andrew Kim, and Timmy Mansfield and designed by Lauren Yu. For questions or comments, please email dilfhunter69@rice.edu.

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