Columns

Columns

The Strike Zone: Upset in Ecuadorian election causes setbacks for nation’s left wing

By Eli Striker | April 28

In November 2019, Evo Morales, Bolivia’s longtime president, resigned from office after an audit uncovered inconsistencies in the recent presidential election. Morales, Bolivia’s president for nearly 14 years, was only allowed to run for a third consecutive term because of a 2017 court ruling which critics claim was slated in his favor.

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Columns

Coffee Talk: Mr. Crêpe

By Casey Cummings | April 28

Last year, as a first-year, Mr. Crêpe was my favorite restaurant. Ever. I could walk in at any time of the day and not feel bad about eating a crepe filled with Nutella and whipped cream; whether it was 8 a.m. or 8 p.m., a dessert crepe was always socially acceptable. After over a year of popping into Mr. Crêpe during almost every trip to Davis Square, I can now say that I am pretty experienced with making what to order a tough choice.

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Columns

Comfort Cartoons: Quirky and smart 'Phineas and Ferb'

By Christopher Panella | April 28

I would consider myself a quirky kid (as pretentious as that sounds). I had a strange sense of humor that came from being the youngest in a big family and often had to find ways to keep myself entertained. “Phineas and Ferb” was my best friend during those years, a show that made me feel less alone. Now, with every re-watch, I’m reminded of just how lucky I was to grow up with the triangle-shaped kid and his quiet British brother.

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Columns

The Honeymoon Period: Biden's ambitious climate agenda

By Matt Rice | April 26

One of President Biden’s favorite phrases is “science is back.” After four years of the Trump administration’s deregulatory policies, drilling permits for federal lands and denialism in the face of climate catastrophe, Biden makes a point of proving he will listen to scientists when it comes to preventing full-blown disaster. 

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Columns

Tuff Talks: New and old relationships

By Jenny Lu | April 26

Dear J: I recently got into a new relationship with a boy at Tufts. I really like him and it's going well but we only have a couple more weeks together until we go back home for the summer (we live far away from each other). I think the long distance is going to be too hard on us since our relationship is still young. How should we handle it?

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Column

Hot Take: ‘Barry’ is the new ‘Breaking Bad’

By Derin Savasan | April 26

It’s equally hilarious, terrifying and heartbreaking, which is a rare (and difficult) combo to achieve. And considering the fact that it’s about a hit man, it has some of the wildest cold opens that I’ve ever seen on TV. These cold opens do not only set the tone for how each episode will play out, but also point out the ridiculous nature of it all — that we’re essentially rooting for a hired killer to succeed, find love and be happy. The concept is ridiculous, but when it takes place in a world that's as ridiculous to the characters as it is to us, you find yourself in the unique position of relating to a hit man.

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Columns

Soundtrack to the end of the world: If I can’t have good times and bad times in the summer in the city

By Jessica Blough and Tuna Margalit | April 23

I write this on an abnormal day — white builds up in the corners of windows that should be refracting April yellow-red-orange glow —  but I know these days of light and sunroof-down drives with Spotify are near. My weather app says so. The return of the sun will clear the sinuses of snow, as summer hovers on the horizon. Play these songs as you learn to live again. 

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Columns

Anthro Talks: Petro-masculinity

By Keira Myles | April 23

As clean and renewable energy systems pose threats to the fossil fuel capitalist order promised by 1950s America, Proud Boys and other petro-masculine populations feel a sense of powerlessness and have no choice but to perpetuate the authoritarian system of fossil fuel burning to cling to their identities. Petro-masculinity thus presents itself in global fossil rule, or governing that relies on immense fossil fuel consumption materially, through motor culture, and psycho-politically, through social identities like intense red meat consumption.

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Columns

Democracy in The Daily: Russia against the West

By Brendan Hartnett | April 22

Russia’s behavior is nothing new. For the past two decades, Putin has worked to consolidate power by crushing the opposition. Currently, Russian opposition leader Navalny’s health is deteriorating in prison and his doctor stated that he “could die at any moment.” Through state-sponsored terror, Putin and his allies have attacked dissidents and worked to silence a free press. 

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Column

Beyond the Underneath: Vinyl survival, Part 2

By Ramona Meng Xi | April 22

What I like about vinyl stores is that I need to be prepared to handle the disappointment of failing to find the record I want, but at the same time, I never know what I will discover by sheer chance. The burst of joy after flipping through arrays of vinyl and all of a sudden spotting a favorite album or a non-mainstream artist can light up my day.

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Columns

In the Paint: Defending the NBA play-in tournament

By Jenny Lu | April 22

I'm not sure where I stand on the play-in tournament's use during this unconventional season, but I think the format is a step in the right direction. The NBA has long been criticized for how predictable it is. There are superstar players and overloaded teams, making the playoffs rather cut and dry. Critics compare the professional league to college basketball and March Madness, citing college-level play as more exciting due to there being more upsets.

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Columns

Tales from the T: Streetcars, an addendum

By Kevin Zhang | April 22

Boston’s streetcars have a fascinating history and legacy that deserve a look in their own right. As congestion and climate change worsens, it may soon be time to ditch our polluting cars and buses, and give streetcars another chance.

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Columns

Comfort Cartoons: Futuristic and teenaged 'Batman Beyond'

By Christopher Panella | April 21

“Batman Beyond” (1999–2001) is a futuristic take on the Dark Knight and another installment in the DC Animated Universe. It’s mainly set in 2039, with Bruce Wayne now an old man, retired from crime-fighting. His rogues' gallery is all but finished, with most villains retired or deceased. This makes way for a new Batman in Neo-Gotham: Terry McGinnis, a teenager. Mentored by Bruce and wearing a fancy Batsuit, Terry is just what the futuristic megalopolis needs.

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Columns

The Strike Zone: 'The Torture Letters' and police brutality

By Eli Striker | April 21

The documentary crafted narrative-based accounts of suffering instead of displaying explicit content, compelling viewers to listen to and center its subjects. “The Torture Letters” makes persuasive ethical claims on its audience because its first-person narration and focus on children’s experiences allow viewers to empathize with victims of police brutality. 

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Columns

Coffee Talk: Revival Cafe

By Casey Cummings | April 21

Finding a time to coerce my friends into eating breakfast with me is already tough, but what makes it even harder is finding a place that has gluten-free and vegetarian options! Generally, my gluten-free friend is left settling for a yogurt parfait — or just a coffee — when we go out for breakfast. Luckily, we realized that Revival Cafe + Kitchen, that small cafe with a mural that we always pass as we drive through Davis Square, has a menu full of fun breakfast sandwiches, gluten-free options and coffee.

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Columns

Building Blocks: Linguistics in education

By Elizabeth Buehl | April 20

In order to bolster full support and ensure the highest levels of success, contributions must be made to the students’ personal and academic lives. Informing and educating immigrant families will help foster a sense of confidence in students and could help cultivate feelings of belonging. In addition, rather than forcing cultural assimilation in schools through a lack of diverse thought and perspectives presented in the classroom, educators and curricula writers must work to ensure that there are an array of learning opportunities available for students of all backgrounds.

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Columns

A Fantastic Voyage: 'Three'

By Drew Weisberg | April 20

We have now arrived at the reason I began this column. "Three” (2011) is, for my money, the best-executed arc in Jonathan Hickman’s "Fantastic Four" epic, as it makes each of its three plot threads into tremendous personal dramas with huge stakes. 

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Columns

The Fast Break: Injuries to consider for the playoffs

By Aiden Herrod | April 16

Like it or not, injuries play a major role in the power balance of the NBA. The super teams of the league know this well. The Lakers and Nets have kept their superstars off the court more often than on it, nursing their injuries to ensure full health by the playoffs. In this COVID-compressed season, injuries have been even more impactful than usual as players take on more games with less rest, a combo that can often lead to devastating outcomes. With that in mind, I’ve highlighted a few of the most impactful recent injury situations to watch as we gear up for the NBA playoffs.

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Column

Soundtrack to the End of the World: The best storytellers in hip-hop

By Jessica Blough and Alex Viveros | April 16

When Jess asked me to write for this column this week, I realized something that I hadn’t before; a large number of my friends, even those I’ve been tight with for a lot of my college life, don’t know what my music taste is. The truth is, I usually keep my favorite songs private because I think they’re best appreciated in moments alone. I like to reserve my music for late-night walks back home from the Daily office, or long nighttime drives in California.

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Columns

Democracy in The Daily: Democracy and oppression

By Brendan Hartnett | April 15

Democracy doesn’t mean oppression is gone. Democracy isn’t justice. Democracies still experience many of the same systemic issues as authoritarian states; in fact, most are built on it. Few, if any, democracies were founded in an equitable fashion. Few are truly equitable today.

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