Category — News

Whether or not you’ve finalized your class schedule, your routine has certainly changed from last semester. Accordingly, tons of new faces are present in classrooms, Brown dining establishments, and study spaces. First time around, your walk from Barus & Holley to your class on the Main Green was invigorating. Overjoyed to be back on campus, you greeted everyone along the way: the person you pregamed with that one time, the kid who would always brush his teeth in the Keeney bathroom at the same time as you, and even that one kid who always slept in your section. Who cares if you hadn’t spoken to these people in months? You’re happy to be back at school and you don’t care who knows.

As you trudge through shopping period, you have less and less energy to devote to these marginal acquaintances. Tired of hearing that your friend’s friend is still fighting to get into The American Presidency (POLS1130), you stay away from the “hello”s and “how are you?”s and consider moving into smile/head nod territory. Yet this sudden change is a testament to your inherent laziness; you fear the awkward situation that will arise due to your obvious lack of effort. What do you do instead? You avoid the interaction at all costs by pretending you don’t even see them. Classic. Read our tips for ducking the duds after the jump.

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How may I shine your boots, Sir?

Just because President Simmons left its Board of Directors doesn’t mean we can stop caring about the beautiful benefactor that makes so much of the joy in our world possible: Goldman Sachs. To provide us with updates on the personal thoughts of the most benevolent and soft-spoken investment bankers in the business, an anonymous soul has created the uplifting Twitter account “GS Elevator Gossip.” Be warned: this feed will send you running to the consulting info sessions, resume in hand. Let’s get the hashtag #LosingFaithInHumanity trending!

For Netflix, 2011 was a pivotal year in determining the company’s sustainability in the face of a flagging home video market and the push toward streamed content. The near-fatal price hike announced in July lost Netflix 800,000 subscribers, and CEO Reed Hastings’ seemingly endless flow of apology emails (as well as one particularly stubborn pothead on Twitter) continued to diminish brand loyalty. In the midst of this, Netflix examined new ways to stay relevant, initiating its unprecedented foray into original content with Kevin Spacey’s House of Cards and the highly-anticipated Arrested Development mini-season. The year culminated on an optimistic note, as stock began to recuperate and Netflix regained 610,000 subscribers.

In light of this, let’s reflect on the significance of 2011 by taking a look at Netflix’s streaming selection of films released last year: the good, the bad and the direct-to-the-bargain-bin-at-Tedeschi shit Nicolas Cage churned out so he wouldn’t have to sell another home. [Read more →]

Groundhog Punxsutawney Phil (“the seer of seers, the prognosticator of all prognosticators”) saw his shadow this morning, which supposedly means six more weeks of winter for the rest of us. Boo! How depressing. But you can cheer yourself up with this charming and highly informational OK Go music video, featured on Sesame Street. Red and yellow make orange! Red and yellow make orange!

1. Professor’s name wasn’t first Google result.
2. 11 A.M. is too early.
3. Section actually meets.
4. Realized it was FemSex.
5. Meets three days a week.
6. Already slept with the professor.
7. There were freshmen in my FYS.
8. Not as many attractive gays as expected.
9. Conflicts with Chicken Finger Fridays.
10. iClickers.

Check out the semester’s first issue of post-, available today. Writers look into Brown and taxes, the lore of Lana del Rey, and the wonders of Baked Alaska (hint: you set it on fire). Post- is published on Thursdays inside the BDH.

Eat free or dine trying.
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Sarah Doyle Women’s Center Open House “with COOKIES”
6-7:30 pm
Sarah Doyle Women’s Center

Find out more about resources, groups and programs offered through the Sarah Doyle Women’s Center. Cookies the size of your face “MEETING STREET COOKIES” will be served! Shout it from the rooftops, SDWC!

“In the stacks of the livebrary” with Jeffrey Schnapp
5:30 pm
Lownes Room, John Hay

A reception after the talk will take place in the Hay lobby. So classy.

Brown Bag Series in Anthropology: Kevin Smith
12-1 pm
Rhode Island Hall 108

Chief Curator and Deputy Director of the Haffenreffer Museum of Anthropology, Kevin Smith, will give a talk on “Symbols of Power and the Color of Belief: Legitimation, Place, and State Formation in 13th Century Iceland.” Free pizza and soda. Classic.

Venture For America Info Session
5:30-7:30 pm
Granoff Center, Martinos Auditorium

Learn about the two-year fellowship that allows you to work alongside an entrepreneur to help build his or her business. Talk to the founder and CEO, Andrew Yang ’96, and enjoy some free pizza.

I’m not going to lie: cooking at home in a real kitchen with ample supplies, tools and an oven whose temperature gauge is spot on was incredible. Not that I don’t love my amazing apartment and roommates here on College Hill, but having a car to drive to the nearest Los Angeles farmers’ market and then bake your own bread is an undeniable pleasure that my current situation does not allow for. As a result, I took full advantage of cooking everything I possibly could from scratch while at home over winter break; from cornbread to salsa to key lime pie to lamb roast and beyond. But, now that I do not have such luxuries as a food processor and several pans of the same size in my possession (goodbye, triple layer Peanut Butter Dark Chocolate Cake — you were the best thing to ever happen to me…), I have made it my mission to simplify some of the favorites I made while I was being spoiled by 80 degree Southern California weather.

While taking advantage of my kitchen at home, one of my absolute favorite dishes to make was Shrimp and Cotija Enchiladas with Chile Verde. Never having made salsa from scratch before, I decided to take the long route and do the entire dish as the recipe says, though whenever I reuse the recipe here at school, I’m sure I’ll use bottled chile verde due to my lack of food processor. I had made simple enchiladas before, a sort of Mexican-style lasagna with tortillas instead of pasta, red enchilada sauce instead of tomato sauce, and cheddar or jack cheese instead of ricotta and mozzarella. This style is a go-to favorite of mine, and I HIGHLY recommend it when cooking for a crowd (the Big Game, anyone?) because you can make a couple different enchilada lasagnas based on people’s meat versus non-meat preferences. That being said, if you want to class things up a bit, these shrimp enchiladas were light and flavorful, and could be made into a quick-prep meal should you decide to buy the bottled green stuff. [Read more →]

Olga's at a meteorologically happier time

Of all meals, brunch is arguably the one most perfectly suited to college students. First of all, it’s eaten late, which means those of us who sleep in and miss the breakfast train can still revel in the best things breakfast has to offer. Second, later mealtime means lunch foods (and alcoholic beverages) get to come to the party: welcome back, ham and Bloody Mary, we’re so happy to have you. Third, considering you’re eating breakfast AND lunch, the full spread tends to be a pretty good deal.

Correspondingly, there is a plethora of brunch options on campus and beyond. Olga’s is one such place for those who prefer to start the day with a jaunt: it’s a 10-minute walk from Coffee Exchange, a straight journey that does involve changing street names and traversing bridges. When the weather’s nice, umbrella-covered tables are set up in Olga’s white cottage’s charmingly unkempt garden. For now, though, diners stay in the airy dining room inside. What to order, after the jump:

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Here in State of the City, we at BlogDH give you twice weekly updates about the going-ons of the fabled land of Rhode Island down below College Hill. This section used to be known as Cup O’ (Pro)Jo, but we’ve expanded it ever since the ProJo installed a pay-wall  the state got weird and exciting…and the coffee went stale.

Governor Lincon Chafee ’75 P ’14 delivered his State of the State speech to legislators last night. In it, he struck an optimistic tone that made it acutely aware the governor had not heard the tragic news of the closing of Toledo Pizza Pockets. #whatwillwedo

Big news for Rhode Island football fans — Will Blackmon announced he will be fit and well to play for the New York Giants on Sunday. Blackmon will be only the fifth player from Rhode Island to play in the Super Bowl. Exciting as this is, we liberal art academics are buzzing about news from the Puppy Bowl (yes, half-time, Animal Planet, be there). Anthony, a pit bull mix, will be the first Art History major to play in a major sporting event, according to his stats on the Animal Planet website. Anthony said he became interested in art when someone painted him playing poker with all his friends.

A Johnston, RI landfill is going to start using fireworks and shotguns to keep seagulls away from their treasured garbage. [Read more →]

Stereotypes — are they just some problematic abstraction your freshman seminar professor attempted to purge from your mind with stern looks and lots of _(fill in the blank)_ist theory? According to Stanford School of Education Dean Claude Steele, they pose a problem more palpable than a mere issue of political correctness.

As this year’s Martin Luther King Jr. Lecturer, Dr. Steele will present on his recently published work Whistling Vivaldi and Other Clues to How Stereotypes Affect Us this afternoon at 4 pm in the Granoff Center. With his concept of ‘stereotype threat,’ Steele offers a rather disconcerting look at how easily stereotypes can become realities in an educational setting and identity’s significant impact on classroom performance — sound like something you’ve experienced firsthand? Most of us have, and that’s why this is a cool thing you shouldn’t miss. Again, the lecture is at 4 pm in Granoff and, if you can’t make it, will also be streaming here.